Enigma Rising - Discovery
by Subzero Dragon
Summary: After an air-headed trainer called Amber found an egg that wouldn't hatch, she is pursued by a mysterious band of scientists who want it: the Silicon Movement. As Silicon's doggedness grows, she gets caught in a vast conspiracy that might just destroy Unova. Based in the B2/W2 timeline. T rating for violence and language. All reviews welcome! :3
1. Attack on Route 19

_**Author Notes: **__So here it is: chapter one of Enigma Rising - Discovery! This is my first return to FF since I lost access to my previous account. Please be gentle: this is kind of a beta :D I hope you enjoy it!_

**_Edits:_**_ After some reviews and edits, I decided to merge what used to be chapters 1 and 2. Changed some commentary after **Shadow Serenity 57** pointed out a type mistake. Thanks for the support, all! )_

* * *

"C'mon , Amber! You're falling behind again!"

The young trainer spun around to face the voice. She swatted a lock of her shoulder-length, violet-red hair out of her face and sighed. She had big green eyes and a pale complexion. Though she was eighteen years old, Amber still had a rather childlike build and a personality to match. Her clothes added to the young, appearance: a simple, light red shirt under a blue jacket and black jeans with hiking boots.

Amber had come this far from home only once before and that was when she was visiting her friend Leo all the way from Aspertia. He was the one who had scolded her and was now coming down the path back towards Amber as she gave him a look.

"Give me a break. I'm kind of in a bad mood." She glared back at her friend in annoyance. He was heavily built for his age: only twenty-one. His messy, dark blue hair was spiked and swept to the right. An annoyed look was pasted on his tan face and he narrowed green eyes at her. He was wearing a red tank top shirt and blue-jean shorts with tennis shoes.

When Amber had suggested this trip some two weeks ago, it was clear out of the blue. She only had one Pokémon and that was still just an egg. Leo's one Pokémon was an energetic and rather impish female Growlithe named Flare, who came running up to Amber impatiently. Flare stood on her haunches and pawed Amber's legs, making "lith" noises at her.

"Look at me. What kind of trainer am I when I can't even get this egg to hatch?" Amber said, more to herself than the Growlithe. She was becoming increasingly concerned about the egg's state. She didn't even know what was inside.

It was found at her parents' house in Aspertia in the garden three weeks ago. Amber never saw any sign of its parents in that time and decided that she wanted to become a trainer with this baby as her partner. That was how she found herself on route 19 with Leo.

She and him had been next door neighbors and childhood friends until he moved to Flocessy to pursue his job as a ranch hand six months ago. Leo's explanation was that he wanted at least 2000 Pokè in the bank before setting out himself. Amber had to agree to let him have both of their prize money to pay the rest of his bills, but she was glad he was here. Right now though, Amber just felt frustrated and a little angry about the egg not hatching.

"What's wrong?" asked Leo. His earlier frustration was replaced with kindly concern. "It's not like you to be so down."

Amber sighed and looked at the egg she was carrying. It was small for a Pokémon egg, small enough to fit in both hands easily. Its surface was an ivory color and had spots of darker beige on it. Neither she nor Leo had ever seen an egg like that one before. That was why Amber was going to Virbank City. Someone in a bigger city had to know what the egg was.

"Its been a pretty long time. You'd think it would've hatched by now..." Amber shook her head. "What have I done wrong, Leo? You've been around more baby Pokémon than me..."

Leo scratched his head. "Nothing. That's what I don't get. Don't worry so much. It moves sometimes, so I bet its just a bit longer."

Amber looked up from the egg. "I hope you're right. I was counting on this little one to be my new partner, but..."

"Hey stop moping already. Its gonna be just fine. Flare and I will be here. Besides, we'll never make it to Flocessy if you can't get moving." Leo glanced off towards the setting sun. "I doubt we'll even be there before it gets dark."

Amber nodded once. She looked down at Flare, who had stopped her noises, if only because she had Amber's shirt hem in her mouth. She could swear Flare was grinning up at her. Amber smiled at the puppy and scratched her in her favorite spot just behind her head. The dog growled happily and half-closed her eyes, leaning up against Amber.

She smiled and hugged the amicable pup. "You're so cute, Flare. Thanks." When she looked up again, her good cheer had returned. Amber carefully hefted the egg and grinned. "Let's go then."

"I think we should set up camp." The older boy was looking at the sunset. "Its getting late. You have the tents, right?"

"Wait, camp?" Amber's eyes widened and her face fell. She didn't like the suggestion one bit. "We're stopping...here?!"

"Of course we are." Leo picked about the field, settling on a good place several yards off the trail. "How about here...Amber? Now what's wrong?"

Amber was glancing here and there nervously. She held the egg close to her body, managing to look like a Wurmple that just spotted a Pidgey. "R-really? Outside just like this?" She fidgeted and kicked at the dirt. "Are you serious? There's still some daylight left. Let's just go on."

Leo shook his head. "Roggenrolas come out around this time. Flare can't handle rock-types too good." Leo started clearing some debris from the campsite. "Gimme a hand, Amber."

Amber cast her worried gaze at Leo. Leo either ignored the stare or was too busy to notice. Maybe he didn't get the hint? Amber had never camped out on the trail before and she was concerned about sleeping in the wild. Amber had heard tales of wild Pokémon attacking unwary humans, especially humans without any protection. Leo's earlier remark about the Roggenrolas only made it worse. Flare was all either of them had after all. If she got in a pinch... Amber shook her head. It wasn't a good idea to get too worked up thinking about it. She went over to the clearing and unloaded the backpack she was wearing, sighing dejectedly. Tonight wasn't going to be much fun.

* * *

Leo stared at the crackling campfire, poking at a hot ember with a stick. It was half-past ten at night, but Leo couldn't sleep. His mind was preoccupied; he simply couldn't settle down. Though his body was tired, his brain wouldn't stop. He glanced up to where Amber was sleeping. She hadn't come back out in over an hour. Leo was about to get up and check on her when she poked her head out of the tent flap.

"Still can't sleep..." She muttered, crawling out. Flare raced up and licked Amber on the nose, yapping happily. Amber smiled and stroked Flare on the snout. Leo grinned too. It always cheered him up to see his two best friends getting along so well. For a moment, his concerns were nothing.

"Me neither. Just trying to keep the fire going. Not much else."

Amber looked him in the eye calmly. Leo swallowed. He knew she saw right through his fake nonchalance. "Leo. What's wrong?" She walked over and sat by him, leaning up against the small tree he was under.

Leo looked up at the star-strewn sky. He wasn't sure how to put it into words. Leo was inclined to tell Amber the truth, but he was afraid to. He knew she saw him as a close friend; they had been next door neighbors for most of their lives, and friends just as long. Leo never really considered it until now, but he thought maybe she was more to him. More than a friend. He just had to gather the courage to say it. He might not get another chance if Amber really wanted to leave. Leo looked back down at Amber, campfire flickering across her features. She wore an expression something between concern and curiosity across her face and she tilted her head a little, firelight catching in her eyes. A stray strand of hair fell into her eye and she brushed it aside.

"Arceus, she's gorgeous..." Leo muttered, biting his lip as he realized he had spoken. A hot flush spread across his face and he knew he was blushing.

Amber seemed puzzled. "Leo, why are you staring?" Amber wiped at her face. "I must look like a mess huh?" She pulled her compact mirror out of her pocket and frowned at her reflection.

Leo chuckled. It was cute how oblivious she could be sometimes. "I-its nothing." He ran a hand through his hair, grinning sheepishly. She tilted her head again, giving Leo a quizzical look. Leo noticed just then that Flare had wandered off some ways beyond Amber's tent. Her head was down and her tail swished back and forth, but Leo couldn't see what she was doing because her back was to him.

"C'mere Flare." Leo called. The pup looked over her shoulder at him and barked. Leo noticed something when Flare turned. A small spot of blood was on the dog's nose. Leo stood up, his starstruck mood gone. Was Flare hurt?!

"Leo?" Queried Amber. Her expression turned more serious and she pocketed her compact. She stood and asked again, "Leo, say something!"

He put a hand on her shoulder. "Stay put. Flare found something."

Leo walked over to Flare, taking a small flashlight out of his pocket and turning it on. When he pointed the light at her, he saw what had attracted her attention. A trail of fresh blood meandered its way around the campsite and deeper into the trees. That must have been why Flare had blood on her nose. Leo shined his light around and saw more evidence of trouble. There was trampled grass and torn-up dirt everywhere. Something violent happened here. Flare was holding a big tooth of some kind in her mouth and staring at Leo. He took the tooth and examined it closer. The tooth was a pale green color and very broad, but thin. It had a sharp edge and seemed broken near the root. Whatever had lost this tooth had to have been in pain.

He shone his light around again and got a surprise. Several pairs of eyes gleamed at him from the bushes and a snarl greeted his ears. Before he had time to react, three angry Houndour burst out of the trees, snarling and howling. Leo was shocked for a moment. These Houndour must be behind whatever happened here. Flare's barking snapped him out of his astonishment. The dog raced in front of him, lips pulled back in a snarl. Flare's golden tail lashed up and down as she glared at her foes. She glanced up at Leo, making her ire obvious. He quickly assessed his foes. They outnumbered him, but they were small, save one which was the same size as Flare. Leo guessed they were young, probably siblings. Easily beaten.

Leo pointed at one of the Pokémon."Flare! Get 'em!" The Growlithe charged with a howl, slamming headfirst into the largest of the three. It fell on its rear end and yelped. A second one with one ear torn circled around while the third with a scar on its back jumped on Flare's back and bit her in the head. She bucked and kicked the big dog, sending the second opponent flying off. Flare lunged at the jumper, flames spurting from her mouth as she bit into her enemy.

Leo just realized he didn't see the one-eared Houndour anywhere. He nearly assumed it ran away when a scream from the camp got his attention. He spun on his heel and saw a terrifying sight. The one-ear was stalking up on Amber, baring its teeth and growling fiercely. Amber was backing away slowly, her eyes wide with fear. Without even thinking, Leo charged forward and threw his flashlight at the Houndour. It bounced off the dog's back and the Houndour turned towards him, flattening its one working ear. The flashlight rolled to a stop nearby.

"Come get me!" Leo shouted, challenging the Pokémon further as he ran at it, waving his arms, "I'm your enemy!" It barked and charged right back. The pup leaped up and bit Leo on the left shoulder, knocking him over on his back. He sat up, surprised and threw the dog off, who crashed into a bush with a yip. He hadn't expected it to actually bite him! Leo turned back to Amber.

"Are you okay, Amber?" He asked, rubbing his injury.

She screamed again and pointed. "Leo! Look out!"

Something slammed hard into Leo's back and knocked him painfully on his face. It came too fast for him to do anything but curse in surprise and pain. It was very heavy and much stronger than the pup. He felt a pair of paws press powerfully on his back, paws too big for a Houndour. Leo struggled to look over his shoulder and look at what had him pinned.

The flashlight had landed behind them some ways, revealing that Flare had defeated the other two Houndour, but she was staring in open-jawed shock at her trainer. Not that he blamed her; the light silhouetted the shape of a much bigger Pokémon, horned head low. A long, spade-tipped tail swished behind it and red eyes glowed in the night as a deep growl met Leo's ears. He struggled to get up from under the big dog. The Pokémon responded with a vicious bite to his right arm. He cried out as the furious dog shook its head. It changed its attack to his neck and Leo found himself afraid for his life. This dog was trying to kill him! Flames spurted from its nostrils and burned the side of his face. Leo tried to pry the angry dog's jaws off his throat. When he couldn't budge it, he punched it in the jaw. It let go and growled vehemently, stumbling enough to free Leo. He scrambled to his feet, tearing up at the stabbing pain in his torso. Leo was now able to get a better look at the furious Pokémon. It was an adult Houndoom: female, judging by the slender horns. This must be the pups' mother! Leo swallowed hard. No wonder she was outraged. The one-eared pup joined its mother's side, yelping excitedly and flicking its one good ear.

Flare barked twice, howled loudly, and leaped at the Houndour with a rolling tackle. Houndoom swiped at her from behind only to hit the Houndour by mistake. It yipped in protest and glared at its mother.

Leo thought quickly. The situation was serious and getting worse by the moment. Flare wasn't ready to take a full-grown Houndoom yet. He could see she was struggling to fight as it was. Leo turned back and looked at Amber.

The already frightened expression on her face grew more intense and she gasped. Leo was taken aback when she rushed to him. Was he hurt that bad? "Leo, Leo are you okay?!" She shook her head. "Stupid question. Of course you aren't. Sit down, you're bleeding pretty bad!"

"No." He wanted nothing more than to do that though. Leo twisted away and pointed to Flare. He winced at the stab of pain that shot through him when he moved his neck by mistake. He could see Flare had beaten the one-eared Houndour, but she was about to faint. "Flare's had enough!" he continued, "We can't win!"

"What?!" Amber cried out, "But what about-?"

"No time!" Leo cut her off. "Flare, come! We gotta get outta here!"

Things looked grim. Leo quickly assessed his options. They had a better chance of getting away if they split up. Leo glared at the ground, cursing himself for thinking of it. Amber was defenseless. If the Houndoom followed her, she would be... He shot a look at the furious Houndoom, who blew a plume of fire at Flare as she ran to Leo's side. He considered the escape routes. They could take the path, but so could their enemy. If they went through the trees they stood a better chance of losing the Houndoom. Of course, they stood a good chance of getting lost in the dark regardless. The choice was made for him when the mother Houndoom blew fire at him, forcing Leo to retreat down the path. His body was racked with pain as he charged, but he soldiered on, knowing he was dog kibble if he slowed down. He heard the Houndoom howl behind him and the crunch of paws on the dirt as she rushed after him. Amber was right beside him, crying and screaming in fear. Leo scrunched his eyes shut and barreled on.

He had to hope it was enough.

It was all he could do.

* * *

Amber had never been so scared in her whole life. The last thing she expected on her first day was a wild Pokémon, much less one that was trying to kill her! She felt helpless and cowardly. She clutched the egg close and looked back.

She stopped in her tracks at what she saw.

The Houndoom that had been tailing them was starting to catch up with Leo! He was stumbling and breathing heavily, clearly exhausted with pain and fatigue. He took several clumsy steps and tripped, twisting his leg and landing to face the pursuer. Flare whirled around and took a flying leap in front of Houndoom, valiantly shielding her trainer. Amber rushed to Leo and knelt by his side. She looked at Houndoom, who was licking her chops expectantly. Amber cringed and covered her face. She didn't want to see what was coming next.

What she heard next wasn't what she expected at all. A yelp. A thud. A loud...squawking? Footsteps getting closer?! She opened her eyes in a start. Confusion replaced fear as she surveyed the scene. Flare had fainted and fallen straight on her face. A strange Pokémon stood beside the fallen Houndoom. It was unlike anything Amber had ever seen before. It was a small, green, reptilian Pokémon. It stood about the same height as Flare, but upright like a person. A big crest ran from the top of the back of its head and down the back of its skull, arching straight up like a mohawk. It sported an oval-shaped, darker green patch that covered its forehead and crest and a teardrop patch the same color by each big, red eye. It also sported a leaf-green collar of color around its neck with a small triangular shape that jutted down slightly. One giant, pale green tooth protruded from the right side of its mouth. The corresponding left side of its face was somewhat bloody and the Pokémon licked at its lip gingerly. The Pokémon wiggled its three-fingered "hands", almost as if anticipating something. It did not take its intense gaze from Amber, but continued to stare. Amber was perplexed.

Where did this Pokémon come from? Why was it staring at them like that? Did it just save them? If so, why?

"S...shu?" It squealed, tilting its head sideways as it continued to stare. Amber wasn't sure how or why, but one thing was clear. This little lizard was interested in her. Amber turned and opened her mouth to ask Leo what he thought, but stopped herself. Leo had passed out too and was slumped over beside his Pokémon.

Amber looked at the strange Pokémon again. It walked closer to them. She blinked and put an arm in front of Leo, but the lizard boldly approached her instead. Amber let it come. Something about its approach didn't seem threatening, instead it seemed to want something It nudged Leo's right jeans pocket with a paw and squealed. Amber reached into the pocket, never taking her eyes off of the Pokémon. Her hands met the cool touch of ivory. It was the Pokémon tooth Leo found earlier. No sooner than she removed the tooth than the lizard squalled and suddenly snatched it.

"Yikes!" Amber pulled away and blinked. The lizard seemed equally surprised. It jumped back and squeaked, looking at Amber in wide-eyed alarm. It blinked a couple of times, chirruped, then looked at the tooth again. Its expression changed from alarm to dismay quickly as it examined the fang. Amber realized this must be the Pokémon that was injured back in camp.

She decided to try talking to it. "Did you save us?" She smiled and nodded once slowly. "Thank you." She doubted a wild Pokémon could understand her, but she hoped it would at least get the idea. The Pokémon looked up at Amber. It was trying to put the tooth back in its place, but it of course wasn't succeeding. She slowly reached into her pocket for her Xtransceiver. She was about to call for help when she felt a warmth by her leg. It was the Pokémon again. It was hugging her leg and chattering at her. It looked up at her and cocked its head, seeming to expect an answer.

Amber carefully reached out to the little Pokémon. "What's wrong? You can g-" The lizard suddenly hopped into her lap and glanced at Leo, then back at her, meeting her eye-to-eye. The expression on its face was now one of worry. Was it worried for Leo? Why? What a bizarre thing for a wild Pokémon to do! Amber thought it was charming though. She opened the Xtransceiver and dialed. There would be time to think about it later. Leo needed help, and quickly.


	2. Ambush in Virbank

It was another unusually windy day in Virbank City's harbor. At least, that's what Gloria had been told. The seventeen year-old stood on the deck of the passenger ship and brushed her hair out of her face, letting the sea breeze sweep her waist-long, dark-blue locks aside. The simple, pale-blue sun dress she wore flapped in the wind as she turned to better enjoy it. One of the Pokéballs on her hip wriggled. She put a hand on the ball and looked down at it.

"I'm sorry. You know they don't let trainers have their Pokémon out on the deck." She ran her hand across the ball's surface, tracing the patterns with a finger. "I can see land. It can't be much longer." She wasn't sure if the Bulbasaur inside could hear her, but Gloria liked to believe it. She didn't like having to keep him in there, but rules are rules.

She pursed her lips and watched the approaching city line. She had been a trainer for seven years now. This was her first time in Unova. She started out ordinarily enough in Kanto, gathering up six badges there, and four in Johto. Things weren't always so great, but she liked to focus on the present. She was meeting a childhood friend in Virbank. Gloria was looking forward to the reunion. It had been three months since she last saw Sarah and she was eager to catch up. As the ship pulled in, Gloria picked up her backpack off a bench, and she took her first steps off the ship.

Everything was surprisingly quiet for a large city. Just what one would expect for quarter-after eight at night. She took in the new sights eagerly, not noticing the Pokémon emerge at her side. The Bulbasaur snapped a vine near her face and glared. Gloria came out of her sightseeing and looked down at the angry Pokémon.

"Sorry..." Gloria said, picking him up. "I'm sorry boy." Bulbasaur's expression changed and he rubbed his head on his trainer's arm. She smiled at him. Bulbasaur was her closest Pokémon and a great personality. Sure, he was kind of cranky, and he looked a bit weird with his blue spots, but she wouldn't trade him for the world. She understood him on a level deeper than most trainers. The two were less like trainer and Pokémon than brother and sister.

She had a dark history to bear, and she hated to reflect on it. It was about nine years ago when Gloria was kidnapped. It was a surprise attack by Team Rocket. They had ambushed her and forced her to do horrible experiments on Pokémon.

She was never sure why they targeted her and not her mother, a geneticist working in Sinnoh.

She was there for a few years, unable to escape. At least, not until that day her world turned upside down.

The day she became a Pokémon.

Gloria was so lost in thought, she didn't even see when she walked square into a trash can. She looked up, embarrassed and surprised. A girl sitting on a bench just nearby caught her eye. She was looking Gloria's way and seemed very upset for some reason.. The girl was about her age. Her reddish-violet hair was woven in a loose braid and her green eyes were wet with tears. She seemed embarrassed, but probably not for the same reason Gloria was. There was a one-tusked Axew perched on the bench beside her. It regarded Gloria with a sharp gaze.

"Sorry." Gloria apologized. She backed up a few steps, straightening the trash can. "Didn't mean to scare you."

The girl wiped at her eye. "I'm fine..." She lowered her head into her hands. "I'm fine..." Gloria could clearly see the girl had cried for some some time. Gloria couldn't help but feel maybe she could help. She took up a spot beside the girl.

"Shuuu!"

Gloria shot up, more than a little startled. She looked at the Axew, which was giving her the stink-eye again. "Sorry. I guess its taken."

"Fang! Be nice." The girl said. The Axew, Fang, sighed and climbed into its trainer's lap. The girl looked at Gloria again. "Go ahead. Its more than big enough..."

Gloria carefully sat down, distancing herself from the clearly annoyed Fang. "What's wrong? Are you okay?"

The girl shook her head. "I'm the biggest screw-up ever. Its all my fault." Gloria opened her mouth to speak, but the girl spoke first. "I...I'm sorry. I better back up." She sniffled and wiped her eyes again. "I got my friend hurt. He's in the hospital. I-I..."

"Hey." Gloria cut her off. "You don't have to talk about it. I shouldn't have brought it up. I just saw you here and I thought you looked like you needed someone to talk to." Gloria stood up. "I'm the one who should be sorry. I'll leave you be."

The trainer looked up at her. "Wait." She stood up with her. "Uh...who're you?"

"Gloria. I'll let you be. Didn't mean to make you cry." She started to walk away.

"Gloria, you didn't make me cry." The trainer smiled slightly. "I'm Amber."

Gloria decided to try one more time. "What happened, Amber? Why are you crying out here by yourself?"

Amber's face fell. "Well...my friend. Um, he's the one I was talking about...he's hurt. It happened because I let him talk me into camping instead of walking the rest of the way to Flocessy." Amber lowered her head and sighed. "I'm sorry. I'm being a real downer huh?"

"Why do you keep apologizing like that?" Gloria asked. "You act like you're a criminal or something."

Amber chuckled a little. "You're right. Sorry."

"You did it again!" Gloria smirked playfully at her.

Amber burst out laughing. "Haha! I'm sor-" She bit her lip mid-sentence. "Uh, I mean, yeah. Leo always says I take bad news personally."

"Is that who got hurt? Leo?"

Amber stared down at the sidewalk. She kicked at the concrete and sighed. "Yeah. We got attacked by a Houndoom. If it weren't for Fang here we wouldn't have even made it..." She wrung her hands and shook her head.

Gloria paused. Poor Amber. She remembered times when her friends would mess up. Sometimes it was her fault too. It wasn't anything like that this time though. Amber seemed to honestly believe she was responsible. Gloria felt sorry for Amber. She hadn't had the past Gloria did. She hadn't had the chance to become tougher. She hadn't been kidnapped before or forced to... Gloria shook the thought off. No sense being gloomy.

She got an idea. "Hey Amber." Amber grunted but didn't look up. "How about a battle? That's gotta cheer ya up."

Amber shrugged. "I don't have a Pokémon."

Gloria was confused. 'Huh? What about Fang? I thought it was yours?"

Amber shook her head. "No. Its wild. Fang is just what I call it. Its not mine."

"Uh...okay?" Gloria scratched her head. "You're a trainer but you don't own a Pokémon. Then what's Fang doing here?"

Amber shrugged. "It just keeps on following me."

Gloria thought for a moment. "Maybe it wants to be with you."

Amber tilted her head. "Really? Isn't that kinda weird?"

"Yes. But I think its true. Maybe." Gloria knelt down and looked right at Fang. It, _he_, she could now tell, returned her gaze intensely. "How about it, Fang? Do you want to go with Amber?" Fang snorted and turned his nose up at Gloria.

She shrugged and shook her head. "I don't think he likes me at all, Amber."

Amber crouched down this time. "Fang? You wanna be my Pokémon?" Fang trilled happily and hugged Amber around the neck. Amber's eyes lit up. She grinned and hugged him right back. "I bet that's yes! Gloria, I got a Pokémon now!"

Gloria smiled back. She didn't feel the need to tell her, but she knew the Pokémon language well. It was part of her after all. Fang had said it plainly to Gloria. "_I don't like you! You're weird! Creepy human, just stay away from me."_

To Amber, he had said "_I was waiting for you to ask! I want to help you. Just like you helped me."_ Gloria wanted to ask Fang about how he met her, but Fang clearly didn't trust her. Dragon-types could be proud and distrustful like that sometimes. Gloria didn't blame the little Axew. It could be hard to trust a human like her, never mind a stranger too.

Amber peered over the Pokémon. She was smiling brightly. "I'll battle now if you still want to."

Gloria chuckled. "You gotta catch Fang first."

Amber looked at Fang. "Catch him?"

Gloria nodded. "Sure. He's still wild after all."

Amber blinked and stared at Fang. She frowned and shook her head again. "I don't have a Pokéball."

Gloria groaned and hit her forehead with a palm. She'd never seen such an unprepared trainer in her whole life! Gloria wasn't even sure how Amber planned on getting anywhere with no Pokémon, no experience, no equipment, and _clearly_ no clue.

She sighed and looked at Amber. "You are a real piece of work, you know that? Here." Gloria took a Pokéball out of her pocket and held it out to Amber.

Amber still seemed unsure. She looked at the ball, then down at Fang, who was glaring at Gloria again. "Okay. I guess I'll do it. Thanks." She took the ball and readied it at Fang. He stared at Amber's hand and squeaked.

She threw the ball.

Fang trilled and ducked, causing the ball to bounce off the back of the bench. He looked wide-eyed at Amber, then shot another angry glare at the surprised trainer.

Amber picked up the ball. "Come on, Fang. Hold still." She threw the ball again. This time, it hit Fang square in the chest. With a shriek, Fang was drawn into the Pokéball. The ball stood still for several moments, then clicked. Amber leaned down and grabbed the Pokéball.

"I...I did it...!" She beamed, holding up her prize, "Look, Gloria! I actually did it!" Gloria looked at Amber, more bemused than anything. She had to give the silly trainer credit for enthusiasm, but catching a Pokémon that way was hardly an accomplishment. Gloria wondered if she too would've been that easily amused if she hadn't had such a rough beginning.

_"Bravo_ for you, girl. Now, give us that egg."

Gloria spun around upon hearing the sudden voice from behind her. Two men in beige trench coats stood nearby, their faces obscured by shadows from broad fedoras. Something about their ominous and sudden approach deflated the lighthearted mood like a burst bubble.

"Wha-?" She heard Amber say from behind her, "Who are you guys?"

The man on the right stared ahead at them. Gloria couldn't see his face, but she could sense his gaze on them. He said, "I am Agent Ferrous of the Silicon Movement. This is my partner, Agent Argent." He gestured to the other man, who hadn't said a word. Ferrous cleared his throat. "We need that egg, girl. Now. Give it over."

Argent finally spoke up. "Its no good, Ferrous. That one's a Team Night adjunct." He pointed a gloved finger at Gloria's face. "She will need to be dealt with first." Gloria's eyes widened and her jaw dropped. She was indeed what that Argent man said, but how in Arceus' name did _these_ goons know that?!

Gloria looked back over her shoulder. Amber had stepped back and was clutching something close to her body. She shook her head, a look of fear growing on her face. "No. Its not yours!"

Ferrous shook his head. "You'll have no choice when we're done."

Argent's response was more menacing. He took one step forward, pulling a Pokéball out of a pocket. "Fight us." He growled as he released its occupant. "Cover me, Ferrous." Inside the Pokéball was a Staravia. It shrieked a battle-cry and took wing immediately.

Gloria thought fast. Bulbasaur was a grass type: vulnerable against the flying-type Staravia. She had one other Pokémon with her now.

It would have to do.

She grabbed the second Pokéball. Just as she was about to let out her Luxray, Gloria spotted a familiar Pokémon. It was Fang, and he looked furious.

_"What are you doing?" _Gloria whispered to the dragon, not bothering to use English, "_This is gonna be too hard for you. Go protect Amber."_

_"Shut up. I do what I want."_ Fang retorted. He shifted his weight and growled up at the bird.

Gloria shrugged and looked at Amber. "Looks like Fang wants to join. C'mere and help me control him, but stay back if you can. That Staravia is out of your league."

Gloria turned back to the fight. By now, Ferrous had unleashed his own Pokémon: a Nosepass. Gloria raised an eyebrow. This might be easier than she'd hoped. Rock-types were easy for her Bulbasaur. She decided her strategy: attack the Staravia with Luxray and hold off Nosepass until Bulbasaur could get a Solar Beam in on it. Gloria released her Luxray.

Amber looked like she was about to cry. "What should I do!? I dunno how to fight!"

"Just stay back and cover my rear!" Gloria replied. "Don't let them ambush us!" She pointed at the Staravia. "Bulbasaur! Don't attack the bird, got it? Go for Nosepass! Ready your Solar Beam! Luxray! Keep them from coming close while he charges up! Your call!"

Luxray hissed in acknowledgment. Then she let loose a burst of electricity at the Staravia. Bulbasaur, meanwhile scrambled under a nearby streetlamp, extending his leaves to soak in the light.

"Nosepass, stop that Bulbasaur!" Ferrous roared. Nosepass lowered its head and barreled headfirst into the little dinosaur. Bulbasaur didn't have time to react. He was knocked head over tail on his back. Staravia swooped down and snatched up Bulbasaur with its talons. The angry Bulbasaur quickly wrapped his vines around Staravia's wings, causing the bird to crash and drop its prey. Luxray bolted over and slammed her body into the surprised Staravia, unleashing a torrent of electricity as she did.

Argent groaned. "Staravia, you idiot! Pay attention! Don't let that cat get you again, got it?!" Staravia twittered and took wing again. It soared high, circling faster and faster as it did.

Gloria saw an opening. "Now, Luxray! Thunder!"

"Eek! Gloria, look out! Nosepass is coming right at you!" Amber wailed. Gloria only had time to catch a glimpse of the Nosepass as it bull-rushed her. She braced for its charge. This was going to hurt.

"No, Fang, no! Get outta the way! Look out!" Amber shrieked. Fang was growling and running straight for Luxray. Before Gloria could react, he suddenly loosed a startling roar, sending the charging Nosepass cowering behind Ferrous.

Gloria looked at Fang in surprise. She hadn't expected him to protect her. "_Thanks, Fang."_

_"That wasn't for you. That was just to help Luxray."_ Was his harsh response, giving Gloria his trademark leer.

Gloria smiled. "_Whatever. Thanks anyway." _Fang snorted and rolled his eyes. Luxray unleashed her thunder just then.

It missed terribly.

She scowled angrily. What a dirty trick, attacking humans during a fight! She glared at the two henchmen. There was no way she'd let herself be beaten by scum who used tactics like that!

Ferrous stepped away from Nosepass. "Get back out there you, you, coward!" He kicked the Nosepass in the backside. "Go!"

Bulbasaur managed to finish charging up. He opened his mouth and shot a bright beam at Nosepass. It completely knocked over the Pokémon, causing it to faint.

"Huh?" Amber blurted. "It's beaten already?" She grinned. "Cool. You're strong, Gloria! I bet Leo would've liked to see that!"

"What!? Get up! You're not done yet!" Ferrous shouted at the fallen Pokémon, kicking it when it didn't respond. He angrily recalled it, turning to Argent. "Nosepass's down! I can't go on!" He grumbled and looked down. "That sucks!"

"Then shut up and watch a real fighter. I'll handle all of 'em!" Argent barked. "Keep it up, Staravia, keep up the Double Team! Can't beat what ya can't hit!"

Gloria reconsidered her tactics. With Staravia's annoying evasive moves, Luxray's Thunder stood no chance of hitting. She had to hit that bird somehow. As she went through her choices, she saw Fang hopping from one foot to the next. He clapped his paws and squealed rhythmically, ending the dance in a back flip.

Rain Dance?! Gloria was taken aback. She considered herself pretty smart, but she had no idea Axew could know that move.

She smiled, quickly recovering from surprise as the first drops of rain begun to fall._ "Smart move, Fang. That's gonna really-"_

_"Shut up and fight, you crazy human!" _Barked Fang. "_That won't last forever!"_

Gloria knew Fang was right. The rain was going to increase Thunder's accuracy. She nodded and pointed to Staravia, who by now was a gray and black blur against the city lights.

"Boss, that's bad news." A nervous Ferrous blurted. "_Really_ bad news! She's gonna zap us!"

"Ack! No!" Blared Argent. "Don't you _dare_! Staravia, get out of there! Protect me!"

"Luxray!" Gloria called. "Thunder! Take Staravia out!"

"Rraagh! Damn you, you crazy-! Wait, huh?" Said Argent, clearly confused.

Gloria ignored the henchmen. They honestly thought she'd attack them directly?! Idiots. That was a loser's gambit. She glanced back at Amber. "You okay, Amber?"

"Y-yeah." She stammered. "Wow. That was tense."

Gloria turned to confront the two goons, but they were nowhere to be seen. Gloria looked about, trying to see where they went, but the rain and darkness made the search pointless. She shook her head and turned back to Amber.

"That wasn't supposed to happen." Gloria said. What an understatement. Of all things, she hadn't expected to run into trouble in a quiet city like Virbank! That was part of why she and Sarah agreed to meet here and not Castellia or Mistralton.

"Amber," she asked, "have you ever heard of Team Night?" When Amber shook her head no, Gloria explained.

Team Night was originally a vigilante band of trainers opposingTeam Rocket. They were formed some time ago by Sarah, who she was supposed to meet here tonight. Gloria had always been Team Night's ace-in-the-hole, never an official part of Team Night. She'd remained "civilian" so she could be their eyes and ears without causing much notice. In recent months, Sarah thought it would be a good idea to investigate suspicious rumors in Unova, since Team Rocket itself had long since fallen quiet. Now, Gloria was concerned that these men were part of the unpleasant rumors.

Amber nodded. At least she seemed to understand. Gloria sighed. "I'm sorry, Amber. This wasn't supposed to involve you."

Amber looked down at the egg she was still holding. "Why in Arceus' name do they want my egg?" It _was _a weird egg: too small for most Pokémon. Not weird enough to merit an attack though, Gloria figured.

"That's the million Poké question isn't it?" Gloria replied, scratching her head. She recalled Luxray and scooted along a building. Bulbasaur had unfurled his leaves, creating himself a makeshift umbrella, which Fang tried to crawl under. "Let's get outta the rain. We'll talk it out later."


	3. Virbank Hospital

He had no idea how long he'd closed his eyes.

Leo groaned and looked around. His first sight was an open window, overlooking a city. A breeze drifted in, ruffling his hair. The scent of the sea greeted him with its passing.

The sea? How'd he get to the _sea_?

Nothing seemed familiar to him. His neck, arm, and shoulder hurt the worst, giving him a painful reminder that he was injured. Leo sat up, nearly collapsing when he overused his injured arm. His mind felt foggy, and it was hard to think. Leo looked around the room again, trying to figure out where he had wound up. He was laying on a cot in a room with white walls. he noticed several machines against the wall. Some of them were connected to him, screens alight with numbers and graphs he didn't understand. Was this a hospital?

A barking by the foot of his bed got his attention, and he looked its way. A Growlithe had its paws up by the left side of his feet. The Pokémon panted happily and leaped on the bed, trotting into his lap in a few strides. Leo was bewildered. Whose Pokémon was that and why was it coming at him like that? He was surprised when the energetic pup yipped and licked him on the nose. It yelped again, wagging its fluffy tail and rubbing its soft head on his uninjured right shoulder. He stared at the puppy. Why did this Pokémon seem so...familiar?

The last thing he could remember was running from...something...What _was_ he running from?

The more he tried to think, the more confused he became.

How had he been hurt like this?

How did he get here?

What was that Pokémon doing here?

How long had it been?

What day was it?

He was starting to get frustrated with himself. He looked at the Growlithe again. It seemed to have picked up on his anger and stood quietly, staring at him with big, black eyes and a lowered tail. He held a hand out carefully, letting the Pokémon sniff him. Leo was surprised when the friendly dog licked his hand and rubbed its chin on his arm. That made him smile, and he stroked its fluffy ears. The Pokémon seemed to know him. Leo didn't know this one though. That was when a cold reality hit him.

He couldn't remember anything. Why the hell couldn't he remember?!

The sound of the door opening made him look. A red-haired girl stood in the doorway, an Axew at her side. She looked at him warmly and approached.

"Leo! You're awake! I'm so glad!" She hugged him gently, avoiding his injured shoulder.

Leo pushed her off. "Who the hell are you?!" He blurted, more upset than he'd meant to show. He didn't appreciate this stranger's affections at all. The trainer looked at him, her happy expression quickly changing to concern.

"Its me. I'm Amber, remember?"

Amber? The name meant nothing to him. This "Amber" seemed to know him somehow though. "How do you know my name?" He asked, more calmly this time.

Amber frowned at him. "You...are you kidding me? That's not funny, Leo."

Leo was starting to get angry again. "Look, I don't know who you are, where I am, what happened: I don't know anything, dammit!" Amber took a step away, clearly taken aback by his outburst. Leo shook his head a little. Snapping didn't make him feel better at all; it just made him feel rotten. Especially with that rather pitiful look Amber was giving him. "Sorry. I'm kinda mad now. My head's all screwed up."

Amber looked down at him. She pulled a chair up next to Leo's bed and sat down beside him. "You seriously don't remember me?" Leo just looked at her. Was she for real? He just said as much!

Amber sighed and continued. "I...I was hoping the doctor was wrong. All that stuff about memory loss and..." She sniffled a little.

Memory loss? "What do you mean? What happened?"

Amber blinked and paused for a moment. "You don't remember that attack either?" Leo shook his head. "The Houndour? The Houndoom? Anything?" Leo shook his head again. He was beginning to get the sense that Amber was pretty dense. "We got attacked on Route 19. If it weren't for you and Flare, we would've been killed."

"Who's Flare?" Leo asked.

Amber seemed even more shocked, her big eyes getting larger with astonishment. "Even Flare? Your Pokémon?! She's your best friend!"

Leo thought for a moment. Was she talking about the Growlithe? He looked back at the Pokémon, who was still sitting on his bed by his side. The Growlithe tipped its head at him and barked, lunging forward and licking him again.

Amber snatched up the dog. "Flare! Be careful! You'll hurt him." Flare's ears dropped down and she whined, tail wagging slowly. Something about that Growlithe felt kind and familiar to him. He decided he liked the little pup.

"It's fine. Put it down. Flare can stay." Leo said.

"Hear that, girl?" Amber said to Flare, setting the dog down beside Leo, "Just be careful, okay?" Flare nodded and licked Amber's nose.

Leo tried to think for a moment. All he knew was that this stranger seemed to know what happened to him. She seemed to know him, but how? Leo decided to trust her for now. Amber might know more.

"Amber?" Leo asked. "What the hell happened to me? Why am I bandaged up in a hospital bed?"

Amber looked at Leo. "It's..." She looked away and sighed. "It's my fault. I'm sorry. If I only kept going... I'm the reason you're hurt. That Houndoom tried to kill you, and I couldn't stop it. If I had a Pokémon, if I were stronger...then I..." Amber was starting to cry.

Leo got the idea. Somehow, he and Amber were on Route 19 when some wild Pokémon attacked them. Amber just had a bad case of guilt because she wasn't hurt. At least, he thought so. His head was pounding and Leo was beginning to feel tired. He lowered himself back down on the bed.

"I think I get the picture." He said, if only to keep Amber from bawling. "I'm tired. My head feels like a Donphan sat on it."

Amber nodded and got up. "Yeah. I better let you rest, huh? You just woke up and everything."

"How long has it been?"

Amber turned back around. "Well, its been five days since you came here."

Five days?! Leo blinked in surprise. "I was out for five days...?"

Amber nodded. "Yeah. Don't overdo it, okay? Fang and I will just practice battles or something."

Leo looked at the two as they left.

What was that about?

He was very sleepy all of a sudden. He decided to try to figure more out later. Sleep came quickly to the two and human and Pokémon quickly fell asleep.

* * *

_**Author's Notes:** _ _I know. Not that interesting a chapter, and short to boot. I swear, next time things will be longer and more interesting. Adios for now!_


	4. Silicon Strikes Again

_**Author's Notes: **__Okay, whew. Here's a new chapter for you all. I swear it's better than the last one! Bon voyage!_

* * *

Amber sighed and slumped down against the wall. She was numb. Leo really didn't remember anything! It was just like that doctor said! Total amnesia. She hugged her knees and looked down at the floor. She had been looking forward to talking with Leo about what happened earlier with Gloria and those Silicon people. He hardly seemed like the same guy. Amber shook her head. Maybe he was just tired. That's it, tired. He just woke up after all.

She felt a tug on her braid and looked up. Fang was pulling on her hair, looking right into Amber's eyes. She couldn't help feeling like he understood, like he was telling her, "It's gonna be okay."

She smiled a bit and hugged the Pokémon. He squeaked, but seemed to tolerate the embrace. "Oh Fang," Amber said, "you're worried, huh?" She stood up, putting the little Axew down. "I...I'll be okay." She sighed again. She said that more to convince herself than to Fang. She just couldn't shake her guilt.

Amber remembered Gloria was waiting in the lobby. She walked back down the hall and into the waiting room. Strangely, she wasn't there. Amber wondered where she went. She _thought_ Gloria had told her to wait at the hospital. Just as she left the lobby to look for her, Amber was distracted by a wriggling in her backpack.

The egg! Was it finally hatching?!

Amber couldn't hide her excitement. Right there in front of the hospital doors, she sat down and removed her bag. She excitedly dug out the egg, holding the emerging baby in her hands. A crack appeared. First,slowly, then more rapidly, a long black blade slipped out of the side of the egg.

Amber's eyes went wide and she nearly dropped the egg in surprise. What the heck kind of Pokémon had something like that!? Her wonder was answered when the black blade sliced down the eggshell, and a small, white Pokémon tumbled out. The tiny Pokémon landed square in her lap, opening a pair of red eyes.

Amber blinked in surprise. Another unfamiliar Pokémon! This one was just as unusual to her as Fang was when she first met him. It was a four-legged type with a decidedly cat-like build. One large, black, blade-like horn swept out from the right side of its head. That must be what she saw cut through the egg earlier. It sported a black, oval patch on its forehead. A triangle-shaped patch on its face was also ebony, made more striking by its sharp, red eyes. A tuft of fur on its chest and the left side of its head was longer than its body fur. Three tiny black claws adorned its feet and it twitched a black, wing-like tail. Looking up at her, Amber saw the Pokémon blink and look at her for several moments.

"M...mama?" It said, tilting its horned head.

Amber's mouth fell open. Did that Pokémon just say...mama?!

"Mama! Mama-mama!" it cried, leaping up and hugging Amber with its forelegs. Amber was still in shock. The Pokémon _did_ say mama! It talks!

She looked down at the little Pokémon again. It was quite cute, the way it looked back at its "mama" with those red eyes. She smiled and stroked its soft fur, and the baby cooed, leaning its head into her arm, already mindful of its sharp blade.

So cute! Amber decided she really liked the baby. It needed a good name. She looked carefully at the little Pokémon. It reminded her of a Purrloin, sort of. A cat-like name might suit the baby. More scrutiny led her to believe the Pokémon was male. A male, cat's name it was then. She grinned, suddenly inspired by the night. Shadow: that would be its name.

"I'll call you Shadow!" Amber said aloud, petting his head.

"Shaa...dohh!" Shadow repeated. "Sha-doh! Shadow!"

Amber chuckled. Little Shadow was one fast learner! He was already trying to learn his name! She glanced over at Fang, who was looking at Shadow with his classic glare.

"Look, Fang!" Amber beamed, putting one hand on the Axew's back, "You're a brother now!" Fang leaned over and sniffed Shadow.

"F...fuh...fuhg!" Shadow blurted, looking right at Fang.

Amber laughed out loud. "No, Shadow. Say _Fang._"

"Faaang!" Shadow tried, "Fang!"

Amber smiled again. "Good boy, Shadow! That's it!" She stood up, still carrying the Pokémon in her arms. Shadow wriggled out of her arms and jumped nimbly down, claws clicking on the concrete.

"Gub bhoy!" Shadow mimed. He looked up at Amber expectantly. Amber burst out laughing. What a silly little handful! She smiled and looked up, her good mood back. The egg had this adorable little...Pokémon inside along!

She decided to wait for Gloria to come back. Maybe she knew what he was. Gloria had told her to wait for her at the hospital anyway. She seemed concerned about those Silicon Movement weirdos.

Why worry, Amber figured? They wanted the egg, right? Amber didn't have an egg anymore; she had Shadow now. They didn't have any reason to bug her any more! Amber leaned back against the wall, grinning at nobody in particular.

Dark shadows moving at the edge of the streetlights caught her attention. She looked their way and took a few steps forward.

"Mama!" Said Shadow. He suddenly jumped in front of Amber and shook his head at her.

"Huh?" Amber looked at him confused. "What's gotten into you?" Her question remained unanswered; Shadow was looking at something coming their way. Amber's attention was now on a woman who had approached her. She was a strange-looking person.,she was wearing a long, black trench coat and a fedora that obscured most of her features, but that wasn't the weird part.

The left side of her face was under a mask of some kind. It was a metalwork, brass-colored mask that contained few resemblances to a human-like face, save for a gleaming, blue light where an "eye" should be. The woman's right side seemed human enough though. A lock of jet-black hair trailed out of the fedora and blew across her face as the woman's one dark eye met Amber's own eyes.

"You're the one." The woman said firmly. She extended her hand to Amber. "You may call me Solstice. Come closer to me so we can talk." The hand was not a human's hand. It was a metal appendage with three finger-like claws where fingers should be.

Amber's eyes got big and she stepped back. This "Solstice" woman reminded her of the creeps from earlier. Except the men weren't robots!

Solstice lowered her "hand." "I see." She said, slipping her it into her pocket. "So that's how it is. You fear my strange looks, yes?" The words were those of curiosity, but her face showed no expression.

"I don't know you." Amber replied, backing towards the doors. "You're weird."

Solstice shook her head. "Don't do that."

Amber yelped in surprise as she ran into a person instead of the door. An arm lunged forward and grabbed her by the wrists. He was surprisingly strong; he held Amber still almost effortlessly. Her attempts to pull her hands loose were nothing to his vice-grip. She pulled forward, but stopped when she felt something cold press on her temple.

"Stop squirming, or I'll _make_ you stop." A man's voice growled behind her. Amber recognized the voice: Argent. Argent waved the object in her face. It was a small handgun, black steel glinting in the night. Amber fell quiet, terrified.

"Good girl." Argent moved his arm around Amber's shoulders, keeping a tight hold on her wrists.

"Good work, Argent." Solstice said, her expressionless face showing so signs of appreciation.

"Lemme go!" Blurted Amber as she tried to pull away again, "I don't like this!"

"You've left us no choice." Growled Argent, "You could have just been a good girl, but you _had_ to get Team Night involved. Now both you and the Absol come with us."

"You're hurting me!" Amber cried out loud. She was trying to make noise so maybe someone could hear her.

Argent stuck his gun under her chin. "Don't make me kill you. It's messy." Amber froze, more scared than ever now.

"W..what's going on?!" She muttered, staring, at Solstice.

Solstice coldly shook her head. "You have something that belongs to me. Return it to me and I'll let you live."

"Prepare for trouble!" A voice from nearby declared. Amber barely had time to be confused before a pair of people stepped into the light: a boy and a girl, both about Amber's age. They were dressed in dark blue uniforms, each adorned with a symbol on the chest. The symbol was a pale blue V with a gold crescent moon on the left, turning the V into a stylized N. Amber was perplexed further as they continued their odd phrases.

"Make it double!" The boy declared, rolling Pokéball down his arms and catching it deftly.

"To protect the world from cruel predation!" The girl responded as a Vulpix jumped off her shoulder.

"To unite the people in every nation!" The boy chimed in. Amber was getting more and more confused as the pair continued their weird ditty.

"To defend the beauties of truth and love!"

"To make our peace with the stars above"

"Sarah!"

"Shawn!"

"Team Night! We'll blast S outta sight!"

"Give up now or you'll lose to our light!"

Amber was baffled. What the heck was that about? Solstice seemed confused, but she had her back to Amber. She couldn't tell.

Argent clearly wasn't amused and jabbed Amber in the throat with his gun. "Shut it you clowns! One more move and I'll blow her head off!"

The blue-haired girl, Sarah, she'd called herself, glared. "You cowards!"

Argent was backing along the side of the building, dragging Amber with him. She was beginning to panic. She was sure he was going to kill her!

Fang suddenly lunged up and bit Argent in the arm. He shouted and flailed his arm, one shot going wild as he flung the angry dragon off. Amber tried to tear away, but he still had her hands in his grip. She didn't stop and tried to twist away only to come face-to-face with Argent. He was glaring harshly at her. Dark green hair fell in front of harsh blue eyes and the light gleamed off of scarred, tan skin. He spun her back around and locked his open arm around Amber's front, squeezing her breasts awkwardly. Furious, Amber tried to kick the pervert in the nuts, but her foot got caught in his trench coat. He caught her as she stumbled, lifting her into the air and hitting her with the butt of his gun. Amber shrieked and thrashed, desperately trying to break free. Argent was like a Pokémon! So strong! Or maybe she was weak.

Argent spun around and shot again into the dark. A growl of some kind was the only response. Amber saw a small shape emerge into the light. It was a small, brown fox: the Vulpix that Sarah had earlier. Its lips were pulled back and it was snarling at Argent, or maybe her? Amber couldn't tell and she was too scared to make sense of it.

"Get that thing away from us!" Barked Argent, "I'll kill her if your pet comes closer!"

Fang scrambled in front, glaring daggers at the gangster. His fierce eyes were beginning to glow, almost as if his anger was showing from within. He pulled back his head and blew a plume of blue fire directly at Argent. Amber barely managed to dodge Fang's furious flame. Argent fired his gun again, but Amber didn't see if it hit anything.

Amber screamed in terror and twisted aside with all her strength. This time, Argent lost his balance and fell to the ground, taking Amber with him. She scrambled away as fast as her legs would take her, even as Solstice shouted for her to stop.

Amber ran away screaming and waving her arms. She didn't even see where she was going: she just ran. She hoped somebody could hear her, see her, maybe help her. She weaved through the alleyways, darting left and right randomly. She desperately hoped she was going to lose the grunts.

Amber only stopped when somebody grabbed her and pulled her aside, covering her mouth with their hand. She tried to fight again, but a familiar voice calmed her down.

"Ssh! You're gonna be okay. Calm down, calm down." It was Gloria's voice! Amber turned her head and saw it _was_ her.

"Gloria?!" Amber blurted, still panicking, "Help! I'm being chased! They're gonna kill me! They ambushed me! They're going crazy back there! I-"

Gloria shook Amber by the shoulders. "Get a grip! You're freaking out!"

Amber couldn't concentrate. Her body was shaking and she couldn't stop crying. "G-Gloria...help me...I'm so scared..."

"Amber. I _am_ helping you. Helping you hide." Gloria said. She loosened her grip and put a hand on Amber's head. "You're safe here with me, okay? Just calm down and try to breathe. You're okay. I'm here."

Her words were reassuring, but Amber was still in shock. They really came after her! Amber never thought she'd be caught up in something like this. The Silicon Movement was much more dangerous than she could have thought. Amber used to think they were just thieves, but they really just tried to kidnap and kill her. Amber managed to calm down enough to finally look where she was pulled off to. Gloria had pulled her into a narrow alley, somewhere behind the Gym maybe? Amber could faintly hear the rumble of loud bass instruments and neon lights flashed from somewhere behind where she was.

Something nudged her in the leg. Amber looked down, startled, but was relieved when she saw it was just Fang. She slumped down against a wall and without even thinking, she scooped up the lizard. "Fang..." She said, crying into the Axew's shoulder, "I was so scared...Thank you. Thanks for helping me."

"You really love your Pokémon don't you?" Gloria said. Amber looked over Fang's back and saw Gloria sitting down next to her. "Don't look so surprised. Bulbasaur and I are like that too."

Amber sniffled. She gently let go of Fang and sighed. "Gloria, they wanted Shadow."

"Who's Shadow?" Gloria asked. "Is this Shadow?" Gloria moved a cardboard box aside. Under the box was a terrified Shadow. "I grabbed this scared little Absol when I saw that little scene back there. Lucky they were too focused on Sarah and Shawn to notice me."

Shadow's little red eyes lit up when he saw Amber and he jumped into her chest, knocking Fang out of her arms. "Mama!" He shouted, licking Amber's face. "Mama! Mama! Mama!"

"Shuuuu!" Fang protested, obviously upset at being pushed.

Amber grinned, completely taken by Shadow's affections. "I missed you too."

"Mishd yu!" Shadow said back.

"He talks!" Gloria said, clearly surprised.

"Yeah." Amber set Shadow down by her side. "I swear he can say stuff like 'mama'! Isn't he the cutest?! I think he thinks I'm his mom!"

Gloria looked at Amber with an expression something between confusion and amusement. "Cute's one way to put it. I've never seen a talking Pokémon before!"

"Yeah, me neither."

Gloria put a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry for what happened." Amber looked back up at her. "I think I have some explaining to do here..." She took a deep breath and continued, "Amber. Where did you say Shadow came from? When you came across his egg I mean."

"I found his egg back home."

Gloria paused for a moment. "Amber, I'm sorry about this. It looks like those Silicon Movement goons wanted Shadow. Maybe they want to get you too now." Gloria brushed her hair out of her face. "Listen. I'll help protect you and your Pokémon. I'm with Team Night, remember? We're dedicated to opposing nasty goons like this."

Amber had no idea what to say to that. She wanted to just run back home and pretend none of this was real. She wanted to hide away and forget about everything. She knew that wouldn't help, but she wanted it anyway.

Gloria continued. "Come on, let's get up. We'll go get some rest. I bet you're tired. Let's figure out what to do tomorrow." She stood up, Bulbasaur waddling between her legs and approaching Amber. She sighed and stared at the ground, still shaking.

Arceus! How did this happen?! She wanted to forget it all. It was almost too much for her frazzled mind. She sighed and stood up. Maybe a good night's rest would clear her head. Amber recalled Fang and followed Gloria, Shadow trotting alongside her.

What a night.

What a freaking crazy night!


	5. Better Off Alone?

It was well after midnight, but the late hour meant nothing to a being who no longer needed the inconveniences of sleep. Solstice was forced to regroup in a warehouse outside the city after Team Night's interference cost her her target. She was recalculating her next move. Argent and Ferrous were there with her, but they were significantly more upset and weary. Especially Ferrous, who was pacing back and forth in an irritating manner.

Solstice was not pleased with the situation at all. The egg hatched in front of a trainer. That meant the Pokémon must have already imprinted on the girl. Solstice wanted it to be her who the Absol imprinted on, but now that that was impossible, she would have to retrain it.

What a pain. Not quite as much as the increasingly childish behavior coming from Ferrous though.

"Dammit!" Ferrous spat, kicking a box. "I shouldn't have to deal with this shit! We're the Silicon Movement! Chasing down some brat's not what I signed up for!"

Solstice looked at him flatly. "I agree, but your anger won't catch the girl. It's better to think instead. I need to find where that Absol is. I spent too much time making it perfect. I won't lose it to some kid."

Argent glared at Ferrous. "And _whose_ fault is that, Ferrous? Remind me."

"Shut up! It was an accident! I didn't mean to drop that egg! And how was I supposed to know some girl was gonna try to hatch it?!"

"Irrelevant."Solstice replied. She cast her gaze upon the two henchmen, and continued when she got no response from them. "Your argument doesn't change the facts. The Absol is my finest creation. I made that Pokémon what it is and I won't stand for some trainer corrupting its power!"

Argent sighed. "Boss, I should apologize. I let that girl get away. If I had just grabbed her on Route 20 like we initially planned we'd have her in custody..."

"Then why _didn't_ you do that?!" Was Solstice's firm reply. She didn't have the patience for talking about things that can't be changed. When all she received in response was silence, she continued. "We're watching the harbor. She can't leave without our knowledge. I need the Absol for the project. If you can't do as you're told...then I'll have to re-purpose you. There's no room in the Silicon Movement for the weak or the incapable." Solstice looked at her men, feeling satisfied by their uneasy reaction. "Jade, Sapphire, Granite, and I will stake out the city. Team Night probably wants to try and take me down. I'll make sure they receive a warm welcome. Argent, you, Ferrous, Jet, and Quartz need to split up and find the girl. Kill her if you need, but that Absol is priority, get it?"Solstice looked between them for any sign of dissent, but saw none. "Make sure to stay out of Team Night's way. I can't rescue any of you fools if you get arrested. Being defeated is weakness. Weakness has no place in my organization." She waved her left hand at them, metal glinting in the dim lights. "Go." At her word, the two men nodded and shuffled off into the dark. Solstice pondered the scenario. Her greatest creation, stolen by a trainer! It made her frustrated and angry.

One way or another, she'd make that trainer pay for her insolence.

She swore it.

* * *

Leo grumbled and kicked a nearby trash can as he left the hospital. He still couldn't remember anything before yesterday. All the paperwork took way too long, and it was late morning already. The doctor said he was ready to leave, but Leo was pissed at his lack of memory. His only comfort was the Pokémon, Flare. There was something about her that he liked a lot, and he was glad for her company.

He noticed she was barking and chasing an empty soda can blowing down the street. Flare's silly quest snapped Leo out of his funk. He laughed and called the puppy back over. She returned, her prize in her mouth. She dropped it in front of him and sat down, swishing her tail across the sidewalk. She looked rather proud of her catch.

Leo chuckled and picked the can up. "You're a funny girl." He put it in the garbage and petted his Pokémon. She growled and rubbed his hand with her head as she leaned into his touch. The little dog didn't care how screwed-up her master was.

"I was hoping you'd still be here." Leo looked up. It was Amber again. This time, she was with another girl, but Leo didn't remember seeing her yesterday.

"You again." Leo said. What's with this chick? Why did she keep trying to tail him?

Amber nodded. "Yeah. Oh, this is Gloria." Amber gestured to the other girl.

Leo looked at the both of them before turning his gaze to Amber. "Hm. So, why are you following me?"

Amber glanced at Gloria, then back at Leo. "I just wanted to be sure you were okay."

"I'm fine...I guess." Leo said, scratching at the bandage wrapped around his neck. "Damn thing itches."

Amber smiled. "I'm glad you're doing better today. I hated seeing you so out of sorts."

Leo shook his head. "I dunno about that. I still can't remember jack-shit."

Gloria frowned at him. "Sheesh. You've got a mouth like a Grimer."

Leo gave her a look. "Got a problem?" He was back in a grumpy mood, and these pesky girls weren't helping one bit.

Gloria sighed and shook her head. "Guess I'd be moody too if I got amnesia."

Amber cut in. "Listen to me, Leo. I'm in major trouble. They're probably gonna attack you too."

"They? Start making sense!" Leo's mood darkened. He didn't like the way these two kept looking around almost like someone was going to jump out.

Amber looked down at the sidewalk. "I um...but..."

Gloria interrupted her. "What she's trying to say is that both of you are in serious trouble. Come on. We'll explain. Let's just find somewhere to sit first."

Leo shuffled a ways away and parked himself on a bench, folding his arms. "Okay. I'm listening." He wasn't in the mood for storytelling, but these two seemed serious. The other two sat down beside him and proceeded to talk.

It seemed like last night, while he was sleeping, some kind of thugs attacked Amber. First there was the two men, Argent and Ferrous, who tried to take her down with Pokémon, but Gloria happened to be there to stop them. Gloria's Bulbasaur and Luxray, and Amber's Axew managed to defeat the henchmen. They escaped in the end.

Then Amber went to visit him. He remembered that part.

Apparently, Amber got attacked again outside the hospital. Argent and a new woman calling herself Solstice, were demanding the egg, which had hatched into an Absol. These two tried to kidnap Amber, but two odd people got in the way. Team Night members, if Gloria was to be believed. Amber managed to escape, and Gloria helped her hide from the creepers.

What a crazy story. Leo groaned and shook his head. "You're in deep shit, huh?"

Amber nodded once. "I'm sorry, Leo. This isn't what I wanted for us. Our journey wasn't supposed to be like this!" She brushed her braid away from her face. "I just wanted to train and get badges, travel around, maybe meet some new friends, stuff like that. You know, like a _regular_ trainer. I don't want..._this_!" Amber bit her lip, trying miserably to hide a sob. "I hate this so much..."

Leo sighed and looked between the two girls. Amber was crying. _Again_. For such a crybaby, Amber could be persistent if nothing else. She was clearly the childish, timid type; she'd need some getting used to.

Then there was Gloria.

She was a strange one. In spite of the fact she seemed no older than Amber, Gloria was clearly far more mature and street-wise. Yet she seemed to radiate a fierce aura, like she'd been through a lot. She'd barely even blinked at a story that would make most people worry. She had her Pokémon in her lap and seemed as serious as sin. She actually intimidated him just a little with her stoic reaction to the situation they were in.

She spoke to him again. "It's okay if you don't want to believe us. If I were you, well, I'd want nothing to do with this."

Looking straight at them, he replied, "No, believing you isn't my problem. None of this is." He wasn't in any mood for some inane superhero business.

Gloria turned back to Amber. "I think we should get going." She cast a sharp glance Leo's way. "Leo's staying."

True enough, he didn't want to get involved with this crap. He considered going his own way, but that Amber girl seemed to know about his past and he couldn't help but want to know more.

_What did she know about his past? _

That one thought dug at him like a thorn he couldn't reach.

He had made up his mind. He was going to go with them. Maybe if he stuck around long enough he'd remember something.

"I never said that. I'll help you two."

Gloria looked at him sternly. "Are you sure? I don't think there's-"

"I _said_ I'm coming! That's what you want, right!?" Leo was starting to get annoyed again. This needling made him feel like a suspect. He glared at Gloria.

Gloria paused, her intense gaze locked on Leo. If she even noticed his ire, she didn't show it. "Is that what _you_ want, Leo?" Was her cool response.

Leo froze up. What the hell could he say to _that_?

"Er, yeah?" Wound up being what came out.

A low growl by his feet made him look. It was Flare, and she was rumbling at Gloria, ears flat. The pup was defending her master loyally. It was almost like she was telling Gloria to shut up. The little Growlithe's display made Leo grin. At least _she_ understood him, even if nobody else seemed to. He stroked the dog's blonde tuft and earned an enthusiastic bark out of the dog.

Gloria nodded once and turned back to Amber. "Hear that? He's coming after all."

Amber smiled at Leo. "Yes! I'm so relieved! After last night, I wasn't sure what I'd do without my best friend!"

Best friend?

Leo stood up. "We'll see." He said, shifting his backpack to avoid his hurt shoulder.

Amber smiled and put her hand on his other shoulder. "I promise I won't bail on you. You probably don't remember, but we've been friends since we were kids. I'm not gonna give up just because you're...different. I trust you."

She...trusted him? Amber's last words caught him completely off guard. Even in his current, self-loathing mood, she _trusted_ him?

He liked that. Maybe going with Amber wasn't going to be so bad after all.

"So," he said, "what are we doing now?"

"I'll take it from here." A new voice nearby said. Both Amber and Leo turned to face the newcomer. Gloria seemed a lot less surprised though, and he saw her nod at the voice.

There were two people standing nearby. Both wore odd, dark-blue uniforms with stylized N logos on the front. The pale-haired girl was smiling at them, but the dark-haired boy was a bit harder to read..

The girl spoke first. "I see you're okay. Glad we could help you last night."

Amber cocked her head. "Wait...you're those two who came to help earlier."

Leo looked between the two newcomers. They were a strange pair. The girl sported pale blue hair that hung to her waist. Her blue eyes seemed kind, but authoritative, marking her as someone with a strong presence. She didn't seem as strong-willed as Gloria, and Leo got the impression she was a bit less confrontational. Good.

The guy was a bit trickier to judge. His messy black hair partly obscured one deep brown eye and he regarded the group with a tricky expression on his dark face. He struck Leo as someone who could be dangerous if he pissed him off by mistake.

"So, who are you guys?" Leo asked, "Friends with Amber?"

The guy shrugged. "We just did what had to be done. Name's Shawn. This here's Sarah." He cast a glance in the girl's direction before returning to scrutinize Leo.

Sarah nodded. "Has Gloria filled you in on us yet?"

Gloria shrugged. "We had a pretty rough night, Sarah. I didn't have time to explain much. I was kinda worried Amber was gonna have a mental episode at one point."

"H-hey!" Amber protested. "I was just scared. I'm okay now. Really."

"Well, I got the bit about you three being some kind of crime-fighters. Team Night." Leo said.

Sarah nodded again. "Yup. We've been doing this since Team Rocket was around.

"And who's Team Rocket?"

Sarah smiled a little. She paused for a moment before continuing, "Huh. He doesn't know who Team Rocket was." She chuckled a bit. "I kinda envy him there."

Leo wasn't quite sure if he was being teased or not. He just looked at the two, then back at Amber. At a glance, she seemed a little lost too, but that didn't surprise Leo one bit.

Shawn scratched his ear. "They were a band of criminals who caused a lot of trouble in the Kanto and Johto regions some time ago. They were a nasty bunch. They were mostly profiteer-type crooks who'd steal and cheat for their own gain, but their leader, Giovanni was..." Shawn cast a glance between Gloria and Sarah, who both seemed suddenly uncomfortable, "...ambitious. He orchestrated nasty experiments and masterminded a takeover of both regions, but not all at once luckily. At one point, he even took over the Pokémon Gym in Viridian City. He was a master trickster and a genius. A lunatic, but a genius."

Sarah interrupted him."Nobody's heard from him in over three years. Team Rocket kinda fell apart without him. He's not a problem anymore." At that last remark, the two Team Nights and Gloria exchanged looks and nodded at each other. Leo could tell there was more to the story. Those three were acting kind of strange at the mention of Giovanni. Whoever he was, he clearly made an impact with them.

It was a few long moments before Amber spoke up. "So...do you guys know about the Silicon Movement? Are they like Team Rocket?"

"They've been doing some criminal activities, we know that much. Reported incidents include theft, black-market deals, and, well...kidnapping. We don't know much else." Sarah shook her head. "We didn't get much out of the goons we cornered last night either. Solstice used a smoke bomb on us and those two got away."

It looked like Team Night didn't know anything more than Leo did about the situation. He realized just then that Flare wandered off again. She had wedged herself behind a trash can and was pawing at something. He called for her, but she only barked at him in response.

"Looks like Flare found something again." Amber said, walking over to the Growlithe. Leo followed her. He saw the pup pulling something out from behind the can. It was a small, brass-colored, hooked piece of metal, about an inch long. Flare sniffed at it, flattened her ears, and growled a little. Leo was puzzled. He bent down and picked up the hook. Flare's eyes never left her find, and she lifted her lip slightly at the thing as it passed by her face.

"Can I see that for a second?" Shawn asked. Leo shrugged and handed it over. It didn't seem like anything special to him, but Shawn seemed to think otherwise. His serious expression darkened as he examined the object. "This is...a claw?"

Amber blinked and cringed. "Aagh! That's the same thing that Solstice girl was wearing on her hands! I think that's a fingertip!"

Sarah seemed a bit disgusted all of a sudden. "She must have dropped that during the fight last night."

A sudden thought crossed Leo's mind. If this was a "finger", then Solstice would be back looking for it. He considered the options. If they simply left here, they'd be able to put some distance between Solstice and themselves. If they instead called the cops or staked it out, they might be able to get rid of her. To Leo, the choice was obvious. Solstice was clearly a very dangerous woman: trying to take her out wouldn't end well. Besides, there was those agents, Ferrous and Argent. They were pretty likely to be with her, and Argent seemed unafraid to kill for his boss.

He spoke up after mulling it over. "This could be a good time to call the cops. Solstice is gonna be looking for that. She'll probably come back here, by the hospital, since this is where we found it. It'd be a perfect chance to ambush her." Leo shook his head quickly. "Not me though!"

Shawn smiled. "You're pretty sharp, Leo. I like the way you think! It sounds like a great chance to nail Solstice and maybe we'll get some info out of that creep." Sarah smiled and nodded in agreement.

Leo was surprised. He wasn't expecting these guys to actually try that themselves! "Shouldn't you guys call the cops? It's too dangerous to play hero! They already tried to kill Amber. You can't take them lightly."

Sarah chuckled a little. "Team Night is sanctioned by Pokémon leagues in Kanto, Johto, and Sinnoh. We _are_ cops."

"How lucky!" Amber chimed in. "If they're cops, then we're golden! Let's stake this place out!"

Gloria sighed. "Are you serious? Those guys already almost kidnapped you. I think you should leave it to Sarah and Shawn. They're plenty strong." Gloria smiled mischievously. "Like me."

"Oh..." Amber's face fell. "Well I guess if they're strong, we've got nothing to worry about." Amber looked at Leo. "Hey, Leo. I wanna go back to Aspertia and try getting a badge."

Leo shrugged. "I think we should get back to the mainland. It'll give us a better chance of losing the Silicon Movement."

"Can we go later, please?" Amber grinned and looked at Leo pleadingly. "Let's both get our first badges. It'll be a nice distraction too.

Leo couldn't argue with that point. He was getting sick of all this cloak-and-dagger crap anyway. "Yeah, let's do that first."

"Sarah. I'm gonna accompany them. They don't have many Pokémon and Silicon's probably got more thugs looking for Amber and Shadow. I'll back them up." Gloria said, scooping up Bulbasaur and standing up. "We need to get moving if we don't want Silicon to tail us."

Leo nodded. "Alright. Let's do it." He was talking to air. An excited Amber was already halfway down the street. He walked off after the girl, Flare following behind. He shook his head and sighed again.

How in Arceus' name did he get involved in _this?_

* * *

_**Author's Notes: **After some suggestions, I decided to put a little Silicon POV in the beginning of this chapter. I hope it clears up some points about Silicon. More's comming soon! My fingers are on fire here!_


	6. Practice Makes Perfect!

Amber was in a good mood again. The journey to Aspertia was uneventful, thankfully, and Amber was excited to try her hand at a gym fight. They had stopped just before town and she had let Shadow and Fang out to stretch before the fight. Fang was looking around with his usual piercing glare, while Shadow was busy chasing his tail. She took a deep breath and steeled herself. It would be her first battle.

But was that a good idea?

It struck her that she didn't really know how to fight. She'd watched Leo fight a few times, and she saw how Gloria fought yesterday. Just watching wasn't enough, she decided.

"What?" said Leo, snapping Amber out of her thoughts.

"I'm not sure I'm ready anymore..." Amber said, looking at the Gym.

"Need a hand, Amber?" Gloria asked, putting a hand on her hip. "I'll cheer you on."

"I just realized I'm going to a Gym when I don't even know how to fight yet. I'm such an idiot..."

"I could use some training too." Leo agreed, scratching Flare's head, "Flare needs some practice." The Pokémon flattened her ears a bit, but seemed to acknowledge the issue. "How about we find some wild Pokémon to fight? That'll be some good experience."

Amber swallowed hard. Wild Pokémon?! She was suddenly reminded of the attack last week. The thought of becoming a Pokémon's lunch if she lost terrified her.

Gloria must have seen the look on Amber's face. "Relax, Amber. The Pokémon around Route 19 are fodder." She tiled her head a little. "If Fang can already use Dragon Rage like he did last night, he must be somewhat more mature than the other Pokémon. The Pokémon around here rarely get as strong as that Houndoom. It'll be cake. This is a good chance to let Shadow try his stuff."

In response to his name, Shadow suddenly stopped chasing his tail and looked at Gloria, then back to Amber. "Shadow, fight?"

Amber nodded. "Gloria's right. You're a baby. It'll be good practice. If the wild Pokémon are low-leveled then I should train you first and keep Fang for backup."

"M...mama..." Shadow's expression changed from surprise to fear and the Absol leaned on Amber's leg.

Amber bent over and comforted Shadow. "I won't let you faint. I promise. If things get ugly, I'll go back to Flocessy."

Leo raised an eyebrow at Amber. "Why not just go to Aspertia? Its closer."

Amber sighed and looked at the dirt. She didn't want to confront the truth. Running away was all she could do, since her father was hell-bent on her becoming a nurse

_Doctors have big paychecks. You'll make us rich!_

_You're cute. They'll come and buy things from you all day long._

_Trainers are nothing but hooligans! You're better than a __**trainer**__._

_You'll do this job and like it!_

Memories of the selfish things her father said taunted her like a middle-school bully. And her mother! She just didn't care. She was never around anyway. Nothing mattered to her but her stupid clerk's job in Sinnoh!

She didn't want to be a nurse! Nurses have to deal with sick and injured Pokémon all day long. Amber knew she couldn't take that kind of pressure day-in and day-out. She'd go crazy.

So she ran. She decided her future was hers, not her father's! That's why she just wanted to get that badge and leave. If _he_ showed up...

Amber shook her head. "No. I wanna stay in Flocessy. I'm not going home." Amber turned and walked back towards the path.

Gloria stepped in her way. "Why are you acting like that? This isn't like you."

Amber just looked at her. "I don't wanna talk about it. I'd rather just train."

Gloria shrugged. "Okay. Well, just wander around. Stay in the grass; that's where you'll find the Pokémon. Unless you can surf on a Pokémon or if you have a rod. You can look for Pokémon that way too."

Amber headed for the nearest patch of tall grass. Leo came up behind Amber. "Mind if I join you?"

She shrugged. "I don't mind."

Several minutes passed with Amber and Leo searching the grass together. Gloria was sitting under a tree, watching them. She'd said the Pokémon around here didn't provide good training for her team. Amber was still jumpy and flinched at every little rustle and snap. She couldn't get that surprise attack out of her mind and she was scared it would happen again. She was so nervous that she almost didn't see the two Pokémon that Leo found.

One was a rather big, pink Pokémon with small, blue eyes and large ears. There was a cream-colored patch on the lower half of its face and also down its belly and feet. It also had a fluffy, cotton-like tail, which twitched warily. The other was a small gray and white bird with big yellow eyes. It had a blue patch on the shoulders and the tips of its wings. Both Pokémon seemed surprised to find the two humans here.

Leo looked at Amber. "Check it out! An Audino and a Pidove! Which one do you wanna try and catch, Amber?"

"Huh? I thought we were training."

"We are! I'm gonna catch one of these and expand my team a little. I'm thinking about that bird. How about you catch the Audino? They're friendly types and I think one would suit you."

Amber looked between the two Pokémon. The Audino _did_ seem kind of nice. Amber found herself smiling as it approached. The Pidove was definitely _not_ friendly though. It glared at them and puffed up its feathers.

"AWK!" It shouted, flaring its wings and hopping up and down.

"Alright, let's do this. Amber, are you gonna fight with Shadow, or are you gonna use Fang?" Leo asked as Flare ran up in front of him. "Either way, I'd keep Shadow out so he can watch."

"I have no idea what I'm doing." Amber said, eying her opponents. She was nervous, especially since that Pidove was getting increasingly upset.

Leo shook his head. "I'd use Fang if I were you. Just let Shadow watch."

Shadow nodded and looked up at Amber. "Mama? Why Shadow no fight?"

Amber just looked at Leo. How in the world was Shadow going to get better without fighting? That didn't make any sense.

"Fang's clearly more experienced. Audinos aren't vicious, but they can heal allies and themselves. We can do it if we work together. Right, Flare?" Leo ruffled the Growlithe's tuft. The dog barked and readied herself into a battle stance. "Let Pidove have it! Flamethrower! Amber! Try and keep Audino from healing Pidove! I need to wear it down so I can grab that bird."

"Ah...okay." Amber took a deep breath and looked at her opponent. The Audino was grinning, extending and rolling up the long feelers on its ears. Surely something that cute can't be much trouble.

Right?

Her eyes fell onto Fang's claws."Um...Fang! Claw it!" Fang trilled and charged, swiping at Audino as Flare greeted Pidove with her flames. Audino yelped and jumped back, rolling up the feelers in a start. Its expression changed from smiling to annoyed. The Audino smacked Fang hard with its hand, sending the surprised lizard stumbling back a few steps. Pidove flapped its wings vigorously, hitting Flare with a a well-aimed Gust.

"Okay, nice!" Leo encouraged, "Just keep it up! Don't forget to throw a Pokéball before Audino faints if you wanna catch it."

Amber nodded. "Do it again, Fang!" Fang slashed at Audino a second time.

"Alright, Flare! Fire Fang!" Flare leaped up and bit the Pidove, flames spurting from her mouth as she attacked. The bird squawked and fell over. It wasn't down yet; the angry pigeon stumbled to its feet and let loose a Peck on the dog. Audino countered with a strange purple beam that it shot at Fang. It didn't seem to do any damage, and the Audino seemed puzzled. In fact, Fang seemed relived and smirked at the pink Pokémon.

"What was that?" Amber asked.

"Heal Pulse," Leo answered. "No wonder it didn't do anything. It restores the target's health!"

Amber suddenly remembered that fire-like attack Fang used at Argent last night. She figured it would do more damage than Fang's meager scratches seemed to be doing. "Fang! Do that blue-fire thing!"

"Blue fire?" Leo's question was answered as Fang leaned back and spat out a stream of blazing blue flames at Audino. It squeaked and stumbled back, nearly falling over. Flare, meanwhile, hit the Pidove with one more Fire Fang, causing the bird to wobble.

"Whoa. That's a cool move. Dragon Rage, I think?" Leo quickly grabbed a Pokéball from his pocket. "Okay. Here goes." He threw the ball at the Pidove, just as an upset Audino tried to use Heal Pulse on it. The move missed as Pidove was sucked into the Pokéball, still woozy from Flare's bite. The ball wobbled once, twice, three times, then stood still.

Audino glanced back at Amber, those cute blue eyes wide. Amber wasn't sure if the Pokémon was weak enough yet. She decided to try anyway. She pulled a Pokéball of her own out of a pocket as Leo scooped up his catch.

"Go! Please work!"

The Pokéball hit the Audino right on the stomach and the squealing Pokémon disappeared into the ball with a flash of light. The ball wiggled and the Pokémon inside fought to escape.

Amber dug her nails into her palms. "C'mon...work...stay in..."

Amber's face fell when the Audino popped back out. The irritated Pokémon slammed Fang with its paw again, this time making Fang fall completely over.

"Ack! Fang! Get up!" Amber's pleas were useless. Fang had passed out. Before Amber could react, Shadow leaped out and stood between the angry Audino and Fang, swinging his blade and hissing.

"Shadow! No! Get-" The Absol suddenly jabbed Audino in the chest with his huge horn. His brutal attack was a direct hit, and the Audino was knocked on its butt. It seemed dizzy and kept falling over when it tried to stand.

"What the hell?!" Leo blurted, "Was that Megahorn?!"

Amber stood wide-eyed at the scene. She had no idea a cute Pokémon like Shadow could be so ferocious! Amber decided to try again. She took out another ball and readied it.

"Pokéball, go!" She declared as she winged it at the Audino.

It was another direct hit and Audino was again sucked into the ball. This time it didn't even wiggle, it just clicked and held still.

"Nice shot! Amber, that was a perfect throw! You got it!" Leo cheered.

Amber stood stunned for a few moments. She actually did it. She won her first fight! She just stood there, stunned for several moments. She could barely believe it.

"Congratulations guys!" Gloria said, playfully smacking Amber on the back as she came over, "Not bad for a first time, Amber! Are you sure you've never fought before?"

"I'll say," Leo chimed in, "That Absol, he's a beast! You'll kick some serious ass with him on your team!"

"Beast?" Shadow cocked his head and looked up. "Mama?"

"Amber smiled broadly. "He means you're strong, Shadow!" She stroked his head. "Thanks. That was amazing."

"Amazing!" Shadow mimicked, rubbing Amber's hand

Amber recalled Fang and Shadow and nodded. "I can't believe I just did that." She walked over to where Audino's ball was laying and smiled. She picked up the ball.

A first catch, and it felt good.

"Hey, Leo, can you let out that Pidove for a minute?" Gloria asked. Leo shrugged and released the bird.

Gloria's eyes went wide and she blinked. "Hey, Leo, that Pidove's shiny! I knew it looked kind of off! You're so lucky!"

"No shit?!" Leo stared at his catch. He got a huge grin and elbowed Amber. "Check it out! Shinies are supposed to be ultra-rare! I actually have a shiny Pokémon! Woo! Holy shit, I'm da bomb!"

Amber smiled. "Good for you! I'm glad you're so amped-up. I better head back and heal my team. Poor Fang's out cold, Shadow looks tired, and I don't think Audino's in any shape to fight."

"Here, catch!" Gloria suddenly threw a small bottle at Amber.

She looked it over, puzzled. It was a small, diamond-shaped bottle full of a sparkling yellow fluid. "What's this?"

"It's a Revive. Use that on Fang and he'll be A-OK." Gloria said. "Can't let you get defeated before you face the Gym."

"Let's go to Flocessy and heal up. I need to buy a few supplies anyway." Leo said, recalling Pidove and Flare before going off ahead. Amber couldn't stop smiling. She was happier than she'd been in a long time. Using the medicine on Fang, she followed her friend to Flocessy Town. She was feeling more confident now.

Maybe she could win against the Gym.

Maybe.


	7. Stakeout

_**Author's Notes: ** Okay, here we go! Sorry about the late update. My muse kind of gave up on me and you know what? Writer's block sucks. From here on out, I'll try to update at least once a week. Ciao for now! _

* * *

They spent most of last night and all morning preparing for this. Sarah and Shawn both anticipated the Silicon Movement's next move. Sarah knew if she could at least take Solstice down, that would weaken their morale. The organization would fall apart, making more captures easier. It was a foolproof plan. They would stake out the area near the hospital where Solstice's "finger" was.

Sarah peeked out from behind a building. "Shawn. You still there?" The only response was a grunt from a nearby trash can. Sarah sighed. He actually hid behind a trash can like hide-and seek! He never could pick the best hiding places.

"Shawn?" She asked again.

Shawn's head slowly rose from the can, the lid over his head and bits of garbage all over him "Here."

Sarah groaned. She should have known he'd be _in _the can. "What in Arceus' name are you doing in a trash can?!"

"Don't be silly. This is perfect! When Solstice comes by, I'll be all BAM!" He swiped a fist in the air as if punching.

"Come out. The only thing going 'bam' will be you if you stay in there." Sarah scolded. It was a clever spot, by Shawn's standards anyway. He often picked worse places and Sarah would often have to help him find a good spot. What he lacked in cleverness, though, he made up for in willpower. Sarah liked that in her foster brother. He complemented her sharp mind with his strength, and she complemented his somewhat brutish ways with her wit.

Shawn sighed, stood up, and looked at Sarah. "So where should I go? I thought this would be perfect..."

Sarah thought for a moment, scanning the layout of the area. "There. Hide in that alley." She pointed to an alley near where Shawn was already hiding.

Looking like a whipped Poochyena, Shawn climbed out of the garbage and dusted himself off. He walked over to the alley and pressed himself against the wall. "Better?"

"Much." Sarah said with a nod. "I'm starting to wonder where these Silicon goons are. Chikosu hasn't come back yet. I would've thought he'd found something by now..."

"I think I should send Serious after him. He's a dog. He can smell much better than a Flygon."

Sarah considered it for a it over for a moment. "No. We need him as our ace-in-the-hole. We can't underestimate Solstice or her crooks. They're not afraid of murder and I'd hate to see him shot down. Chikosu can fly higher than he can." Shawn seemed to mull it over for a moment, then nodded once.

It was a strange thing to say that a dog could fly, but not so odd for the Pokémon Serious was. Serious wasn't an ordinary Houndoom. He had wings and a sharp scythe on his tail: both things no other Houndoom had. He was much bigger too, and stood at the hip as tall as Sarah was. Neither she nor Shawn was sure if it was just a mutation or if he'd evolved instead, but they'd decided to call the new form Houndark regardless. Serious was Shawn's strongest Pokémon and a loyal, if not scary ally.

Movement in the distance caught Sarah's eye. She gestured for silence and nudged her Vulpix, Pixzy. The Pokémon nodded and crouched down, lowering her tails and flattening her profile. Sarah slowly peered out from her hiding place, just as Shawn ducked behind the wall, a Pokéball at the ready.

Two people came slowly down the road, both wearing those trench coats. One was obviously Solstice: her distinct mask gave her away. The other was...also Solstice? There were two identical women wearing black coats, black fedoras, and that creepy mask. Obviously, one of the two was a decoy.

But who?

The left hand one spoke first, "There's no sign of Team Night anywhere."

"Good. That means we can regroup here. Still no word from Granite."

"No matter. Jet finally got some intel on that girl. She's supposed to be in Aspertia right now, chasing a badge."

"A badge? Perfect. That idiot seriously thinks she can get away from us like that?"

"Irrelevant. She's human. Weak. Easily swayed by emotion and petty desires. Much too naïve to pose anything but a minor inconvenience."

"Once we have the Absol, we can dispose of any witnesses. I look forward to that part."

Nothing about their mannerisms or conversation seemed to give away who was who. Sarah decided to ambush them both. Either way, she'd have to defeat both of them to bring them to justice. Not knowing who the "real" Solstice was though, that was a little unsettling. Just a little.

"Prepare for trouble!" Sarah declared, leaping out from the wall as they came close.

"Make it double!" Shawn chimed in, rushing the two from behind.

"To protect the world from cruel predation!"

"To unite the people in every nation!"

"To defend the beauties of truth and love!"

"To make our peace with the stars above"

"Sarah!"

"Shawn!"

"Team Night! We'll blast S outta sight!"

"Give up now or you'll lose to our light!"

"Hm," Sarah said, "It kinda loses its edge without 'Rocket' in there."

"We'll make a new motto for these dorks!" Shawn said, spinning a Pokéball on a finger, "We'll take both of you on! Come get a Team Night-style whooping!"

The two "Solstices" just looked between each other.

"Are you done now?" The left hand one said.

"How childish." The right-hand one remarked. That was when she removed her mask, revealing a face that wasn't Solstice's at all. Her eyes were hazel-blue, not black, and her short, boyish hair was dark blue, not black.

The other one laughed out loud and removed her mask as well. To both Sarah and Shawn's surprise, this wasn't Solstice either. It was a _guy_ with silver eyes and red hair.

"Guess what?" The woman said with a sneer.

"The ambush is on _you_!" The man laughed. His voice changed suddenly and he smirked. "I just love this voice-changer! Classic."

"Stupid!" Shawn blurted, "We ambushed _you_!"

"Not likely." This from a new voice. Sarah looked around, but she couldn't see where it came from.

She saw Shawn staring straight up, a bewildered look on his face."Get down here and fight us!" He barked.

Sarah followed his gaze and saw Solstice, the _real_ one, standing on top of a building. She was glaring haughtily at the two Team Nights below. There was a bird Pokémon of some kind by her side. Sarah could tell it was a medium-sized black bird, but it was too for away for her to really tell.

"Solstice!" Sarah blared, "Come on and fight! Or are you scared of us?!"

Solstice just looked down at them, resembling a Braviary about to leap on his prey. "I'm surprised you actually have the guts to say that. You're surrounded. Just give up. Your pets can't save you from the inevitable."

"We'll see about that." Sarah snapped back. She was angry. They completely turned the tables! They didn't count on there being _three_ of them! Solstice had the opportunity to attack from above, but she wasn't taking the opening. Why? If it were her up there, Sarah would definitely take the advantage. Solstice simply stood there, resembling a cruel queen on a wicked throne, and she hated the thought of being pounced on.

She knew she had to try anyway.

"Alright, Pixzy! Its time to arrest these guys! Let's go! Pin that man down!" The Vulpix leaped up at the man. He nimbly dodged the Vulpix's tackle and pulled a Pokéball from a pocket.

He glared at Sarah, his expression something between haughty and angry,"So you think you can arrest us. Fine. We'll take your Pokémon down first, then you'll see how we treat kids like you! C'mon, Sapphire! Its go time!"

"I've been waiting for this, _Mew,_" Sapphire said mockingly, "We know all about your cute hero-act. You're supposed to be a cop, but you have a nickname like a pathetic little superhero. Its time to grow up. Prepare for a taste of cold, hard reality, vigilante!" She looked over a shoulder. "Granite! Take care of the dunce. I've got Sarah." Sapphire let out a Pokémon from her ball. It was a tan, long-necked dinosaur with leaf-like patches of color on its head, chest, and back. It also had three long leaves sprouting out of its back and a bunch of fruit that kind of looked like a bunch of yellow Nanab berries growing under its chin.

Sarah considered her tactics. Tropius: a grass/flying type. Fire was too obvious an advantage. If it knew how to use Mud-Slap, Pixzy would take major damage. Tropius, however, had one glaring, huge weak spot: ice. She knew her current team: Pixzy, of course, Ditto, Lanturn, Dragonite, Froslass, and Meganium. As Sarah made to unleash Froslass, the Tropius took wing, flapping its leaf-wings and soaring above the city quickly.

That made things complicated. Many ice-type moves have low accuracy. Froslass couldn't fly fast enough to keep up with the dinosaur: she was was out. Dragonite could do it. As a dragon, grass-type moves would do minimal damage, while he could keep up with Tropius' flight. Plus, if she could land an Ice Beam or a Blizzard, it would be all over in a flash. Perfect.

"Its you, Zentra!" Sarah announced, releasing the dragon. The big, orange dragon loosed a thunderous roar on emerging, locking its gaze on the Tropius.

"Really? That's a weird choice." Sapphire scoffed, "But I guess that doesn't matter. I'll crush you like the insect you are! Tropius! Ominous Wind! I'd love if you get Mew too!" Tropius' eyes glowed violet and it flapped its wings, blowing a foul, purple fog at the Dragonite and Sarah. Sarah only barely managed to duck as the fog flew overhead. Zentra wasn't so lucky and he took a direct hit.

Sarah scowled at Sapphire, who was smiling wickedly at her. "Idiot! Are you trying to kill me?!"

Sapphire got a mischievous little gleam in those hazel eyes."That wouldn't break _my_ heart."

"Bitch." Now Sarah was _really _angry. She realized a traditional strategy would only get her killed. Sapphire was ruthless, and sadistic. She needed to find a way to defeat that Tropius before it could actually land a shot on her. She decided to try a desperate move. It might not have much hit-potential, but it would show she was no joke either. Sarah wasn't the crazy sort; she waited for Zentra to gain altitude before she issued her command.

"Dragonite! Blizzard!"

"I don't think so. Tropius! Protect!"

Sarah was surprised. Sapphire was _good_. The Tropius glowed white as Dragonite loosed a ferocious snowstorm on the dinosaur. As the snow subsided, it was clear the Tropius wasn't even fazed.

Sarah glanced at Shawn. He seemed to be holding his own. His Garchomp, Draigonn, was doing quite well. She already landed several nasty blows on Granite's Lairon and luckily, Granite seemed to be flustered by the severe hits. Good. At least _one_ of these two weren't that great at fighting. She turned back to her own battle.

"Alright Tropius! Now Mimic!"

"Crap." Sarah quickly realized Sapphire's plan. She was going to mimic Blizzard, then wipe out Dragonite with it. Not good. She had to act fast. She noted the Tropius' large, leaf-wings. If Dragonite could land a fire move on the wings, Tropius would be forced to land. That should weaken its agility too. "Dragonite, Fire Blast! Hit that dino in the wings!" Dragonite reared back and spat a star-shaped ember at Tropius.

"Gah! Tropius, Protect again!" Sapphire demanded.

"Damn!" Sarah muttered. Tropius once again warded off Dragonite's attack with a white glow.

"Alright, Tropius! Finish that lizard! Mimic time! Blizzard!"

"No! Watch out! Go, Fire Punch!" Sarah tried to warn her Pokémon, but it only made Zentra look her way. The poor dragon was hit square on the side by a surprise torrent of snow, sending him careening out of the sky. Sarah recalled him before he fell.

She thought fast. Lanturn was a fish, and part water-type: bad against grass. Plus, fish can't fly! Pixzy couldn't fly either, of course. Meganium was vulnerable to flying-types: no good. Ditto was her only choice, but the more she considered Ditty, the Ditto, she begun to form a new tactic. The Tropius was clearly such a defensive type. If she mimicked the Tropius with Ditto, she could try to land some flying moves.

It was worth a shot.

Just as she released Ditty, she heard Shawn let out a whoop. Looking over his way, she saw what happened. Shawn was victorious. The Lairon was out cold and a rather happy Draigonn was dancing about, snapping her jaws in the air and grinning broadly.

"Dammit!" Snarled Granite, "I'll get you back for this!"

Shawn rushed to Sarah and recalled the Garchomp. "You doing okay?"

Sarah shook her head and sighed, "Not really. That Tropius is a handful. It just got my Dragonite. I was gonna send Ditty after it."

"Bwahaha! Dumb kids! We were just buying time!"

"Granite?!" Sapphire looked like she'd just been slapped.

Granite beamed snottily at them, "While you were battling us, Solstice is getting further away! You two suck! We win!"

"Granite! Shut that hole in your face!" Sapphire snarled, "Stay put and quit giving our plan away!"

Granite wouldn't stop smiling. He stuck his tongue out snidely at the two. "Losers!"

Sarah and Shawn exchanged looks. It was just a diversion! Sarah looked back up to the building. Sure enough, there was no sign of Solstice, just a silhouette of a bird and a rider vanishing into the distance.

"Argh, Solstice! C'mon! Let's go after her!" Sarah growled. Shawn released his Flygon and his Houndark. Sarah quickly climbed on Chikosu's back while Shawn let Serious scoop him up onto his back with his head. The two took off and chased after Solstice.

"No way!" Sapphire roared, "Tropius! Stop them! Your call, boy!" The angry dinosaur quickly charged after the two crime-fighters, roaring belligerently into the sky.

"Yikes!" Shawn said, looking back at the pursuer, "Sarah!"

Sarah didn't need to look. She knew the Tropius was going to tail them. She was counting on it, actually. She leaned down on the Flygon's back. "Let's go! Hidden Power!" Chikosu nodded and shot six red orbs at Tropius. Sarah knew Flygon's Hidden Power was fire-based, and it hit the angry Pokémon hard. It screeched and dive-bombed straight at Chikosu.

And her!

Sarah only had the time to realize it was a nasty Giga Impact before Tropius crashed into her and the dragon. Chikosu spun, trying to stay aloft, and Sarah struggled to cling on to him. Her hands slipped and she scrabbled at his scales, but Sarah lost her grip on the dragon.

She fell.

"Sarah!" Shawn cried out, an look of horror on his face. Serious folded his wings and dropped down, but Tropius flapped its wings, creating a Gust that blew both Shawn/Serious and Chikosu completely off course, dashing their chances of catching her

Sarah was terrified. She could see the forest below coming up at her with frightening speed. She knew she was going to die if she didn't do something. There was only one thing she _could _ do now. She closed her eyed and focused desperately. A blue aura gathered around her body and she could only pray this would work.

_No! I won't give in. Not like this!_

_I don't want to die here..._

_I **don't **want to die!_


	8. The Mew and the Bird

Amber stood at the doorway of the Gym, staring straight ahead. It had been very tough against the junior trainers. She won against the first, but she was defeated by the second because Amber was too excited to go heal her Pokémon. She paid for that, literally, losing eighty Poké to her failure. Luckily, she had won the second time around.

Leo was handling himself well. He hadn't lost yet and he was in high spirits, and Amber was happy to see him out of his earlier bad mood. He kept having trouble getting the shiny Pidove to listen, likely because it had a nasty attitude. Flare was as loyal as ever, and kept barking at the bird whenever it would give Leo any flak.

Amber wasn't having too much difficulty with her Audino. Either it forgot about how Amber beat it not so long ago, or it forgave her. Either way, Amber liked the Audino. It was very kind and kept rushing to heal the party's injuries between fights. Poor Shadow was still kind of timid in battle. He hadn't mustered up the ferocity Amber saw earlier versus Audino. Fang wasn't letting up; what he lacked in experience the tiny dragon made up for in guts. At least, that's what the second trainer said about him.

Gloria was backing the two of them up, delving into her seemingly-endless bag of supplies when they need some healing between fights. Thanks to Audino, all she really had to do was give the helpful Pokémon a helping hand.

Amber took a deep breath and tried to steel herself. She wasn't sure she was ready.

Gloria pushed her through the hall abruptly. "Quit blocking the way. Just go. You'll be fine!"

Just then, Amber was nearly bowled over by Cheren. He looked like he was in a serious rush and shouted a quick "Sorry! The Gym's closed! Its an emergency!" and raced off without even explaining himself. The two junior trainers shuffled out right behind him, both looking equally confused.

Amber blinked and shook her head. "What was that about?"

Leo frowned and looked down. "An emergency? Bad luck just follows us like a shadow, huh."

Gloria shook her head and looked out the window. "It sounds serious. Maybe we should investigate."

"I'd rather not," Leo said, but Gloria was already turning to the doors leading out.

As Amber left the Gym, she saw something strange. Gloria, Leo, Cheren, and several of the townsfolk were all gathered outside, staring up at the sky. Some were pointing and talking, gesturing at an object above. Amber followed their gazes and saw what had them transfixed. A blue comet-like thing was streaking out of the sky. There was a brilliant, whitish-blue light at its center, but it was impossible to tell what the comet could actually be. Amber was awestruck. It was gorgeous, and yet somehow it was also ominous. Something in its center caught Amber's attention. Was that...a person...?! Impossible! Nobody falls like _that_! Besides, it was so bright and fuzzy-looking... The shape inside was too indistinct, and it was...changing? Amber wasn't sure anymore just what she was seeing.

"What...is that...?!" Amber asked, wide-eyed and frightened.

"I...I don't know." Gloria said, "I don't like this..."

As Amber stood puzzled, she realized the comet-like thing was coming closer and closer. "Guys? Its coming!"

"It's heading straight for town, you idiot! We gotta find shelter!" Leo shouted in alarm.

Straight for town?! That meant-!?

"Quick! Back in the Gym!" Gloria shouted, shoving Amber roughly through the door as she rushed back inside.

Amber was stunned for a moment. Leo dashed in right behind them, and Amber saw Cheren rush to shepherd nearby townsfolk into the Pokémon Center. Any remaining people scattered like leaves in a windstorm, ducking into any nearby building as the comet came streaking ever closer. Even from inside the Gym, she could see the blue light getting brighter. The comet's light grew too intense to watch, and Amber shielded her eyes. She screamed in fright and nearly fell over as the ground shook suddenly and violently. Amber heard Leo and Gloria cry out too, and it scared her to hear the calmer pair yell like that.

Then there was silence.

Amber slowly stood back up, realizing she'd sunk to her knees during the...what _was_ that anyway? She opened her eyes and looked around, sighing in relief when she saw both Gloria and Leo unharmed.

"Is everyone okay? No injuries?" Gloria asked, glancing here and there.

"I'm okay...I think." Leo said, scooping up a terrified Flare, "What the hell was that?!"

"That's what _I_ want to know." Amber replied. She realized that Gloria seemed increasingly upset; she kept on looking back and forth. "Uh, Gloria?"

She shook her head and kept scanning the room. "I can't find Bulbasaur! You didn't see him did you!?"

Leo turned to the door. "I bet he got turned around. I hope he's- hey!" Gloria suddenly shoved Leo aside and raced outside.

"Bulbasaur! Come on!" Gloria called as she rushed into the street, "Where are you?!"

Amber and Leo could only exchange looks. Amber saw a serious expression cross Leo's face, and he seemed even darker than usual suddenly.

"Let's help her." He put Flare down and followed Gloria. Amber nodded and followed close, still shaking a little. She was still a bit stunned from the impact, and she couldn't shake her worry. Strangely though, nothing seemed different outside. It was as if the comet never existed, save for how empty the town's usually lively streets still were.

Amber saw Gloria running down the path, back towards the forest on Route 19. She was still shouting and looking back and forth. Amber ran to catch up with her. As she came to thee edge of the trees, Gloria suddenly stopped and froze in her tracks. Amber quickly closed the gap between them and bent over her knees, panting.

"Wh...what's...?" Amber's question froze in her throat when she looked up. A glassy crater had formed in the dirt nearby, and Bulbasaur was standing at its edge, pointing with a vine to its center. Amber followed the dinosaur's gesture.

What she saw made her jaw drop.

There was some kind of creature laying there in the crater. It was small, smaller than Bulbasaur. The blue-furred animal seemed feline with long hind legs and a rather long tail that ended in a fat tip. The tiny little ears flicked slightly: the only sign this cat was still alive. Amber was shocked again. There was no mistaking this Pokémon.

It was Mew.

But something was off. Wasn't Mew supposed to be pink? Why was Mew blue?

Leo was the first to speak. "Is that...? Mew!?"

Gloria turned over her shoulder. "Ah-er, yes? Of course it is? Of course its Mew! D-don't be silly now." She seemed nervous all of a sudden. Amber could see she had an uneasy expression on her face, but not the kind of uneasy one might usually have on spotting Mew injured in a crater. It was the same look she had when Bulbasaur went missing.

What was that about?

Did she know something about the blue Mew?

Flare had walked over to the Mew and was sniffing it. Amber and Leo followed her over carefully. For some reason, the impact area of the crater was smooth and glossy, and it was more slippery than it looked. Amber didn't expect that and fell completely on her face, landing right next to Flare. Amber could hear Leo chuckling at her. For a moment, Amber was too embarrassed to get up.

"M..mew?"

The sudden meow made her open her eyes and look. Mew had opened its big, blue eyes and was staring straight into Amber's face. Amber froze in place. The cat's gaze had her fixed to the spot like she'd been planted there. She felt Flare jump on her back and pad over a bit. The curious canine leaned over and sniffed the Mew.

"MEW!" It didn't seem comfortable with the dog at all, and hissed a bit. With a yelp and a "Lith!" Growlithe ran away, hiding behind Leo. Amber was still too stunned to move. She was mesmerized by the Mew. It looked her square in the eye.

"_Ouch..."_

Amber was puzzled. Did Mew just-?

"_Help me..."_

It did! It just talked!

Leo slowly came and extended a hand to Amber. "Are you okay? Come on, get up." Snapping out of her trance, Amber took his hand and stood up. Mew still barely moved, just kept on staring with that intense gaze.

"Did you hear that? Poor Mew just asked for help!" Amber finally said.

Leo gave her a funny look. "You sure you didn't just hit your head? Pokémon don't talk! Well, except for Shadow, but not Mew."

"_Please. It hurts!"_

All three fell silent for several moments. Leo was the first to speak up. "Who said...?"

"_I'm in the crater! Help me!"_

"Now do you believe me?" Amber reached for Audino's Pokéball. She looked up at Mew for a moment, remembering the cat's unpleasant response to Flare's curiosity. Would Mew accept any help from Audino?

She decided to try.

Amber let Audino out of its ball. The Pokémon at first just stared at Mew, then looked up at Amber pleadingly, its little eyes wide like a begging puppy. "Go on, Audino. Can you heal Mew?" Audino looked back at Mew and slowly approached as Amber watched its reaction.

Amber decided to try talking back. Maybe it could understand her, just like Shadow. "Its okay. I'm gonna help you okay, Mew?" Amber gently knelt down and stroked Mew's head comfortingly. It was the softest, silkiest thing she'd ever touched.

The cat locked its eyes on her. _"Your thoughts are kind. I like that."_

Thoughts? Was Mew reading her mind? Audino bent down and touched Mew's back with its feelers. Even that slight contact made Mew hiss a little. Audino rolled its feelers up in a start with a sharp "Audi!" and looked at Amber.

"Don't wait on me. Try Heal Pulse, Audino!" The kindly Pokémon nodded and shot its purple energy beam at the cat.

Nothing seemed to happen. Mew did seem slightly relived though.

Audino slumped down, looking sad. Amber shook her head. "Oh no...it didn't work?"

"Mew's injuries are too great for just a Heal Pulse," Gloria spoke up, nearly making Amber jump. "Here. Let's use this." Gloria handed Amber a squarish, gray bottle full of blue liquid. "That's some of the strongest stuff money can buy. Maybe a Max Potion can help..."

Without hesitation, Amber used the medicine on Mew. Suddenly, Mew begun to glow again. Amber fell over on her butt as she tried to give the cat some space. It rose up into the air, glowing brighter and brighter, until Amber was forced to cover her face again.

What she saw when the light subsided confused her.

Sarah was sitting down in the crater. She looked quite embarrassed.

"What the hell?!" Leo blurted, "Sarah's-! Mew's-! What the hell is this?!"

Sarah slowly stood up. "Oops."

"Oops? _OOPS_?!" Leo shook his head. "Explain yourself! What's going _on_?!"

Amber looked at Gloria. She was shaking her head and sighing. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry..."

"Sorry?!" Leo waved a hand at her angrily, "Look, you're the ones always telling us to trust you! You claim you're helping us! You ask us to put our faith in you when _you_ are the suspicious ones! Talk!"

"That's enough, Leo," Amber said, trying to calm him down. "Acting like an angry Mankey won't help anything."

Gloria and Sarah exchanged looks with each other. "She's right, Sarah. It's stupid to ask them to trust us when we keep hiding the truth."

Sarah fidgeted and looked down. "Yeah, I guess you got a point." She looked back at the Amber and Leo.

Gloria spoke first, "I gotta tell you two something. It's not something I like to talk about, but you two deserve to know." Gloria paused and took a deep breath.

What happened next made the events earlier seem mundane.

Gloria's body seemed to change rapidly. Human-like features quickly became less and less recognizable, and she seemed to grow. Her arms lengthened and became a pair of azure wings. Her body morphed and became a bird's too, and her head followed next, her hair parting into a pair of dark blue tufts. Finally, several long, almost skirt-like feathers grew out from the tail she now sported, nearly enveloping her avian talons. When she was done, the bird hardly looked like the old Gloria at all. Her feathers were the same color as her hair, except for lighter blue accents along her flight feathers and a dark-blue collar of color that spread from wingtip to wingtip, forming a V on her chest. She had the same piercing green eyes too, but now they seemed sad and downcast.

She almost looked like she was going to cry. "Please...don't hate me..."

Amber and Leo were both silent. Amber couldn't believe her eyes. First, the Mew turned into Sarah, now Gloria turned into...something?

"What are you, Gloria?" Amber heard herself ask.

"I've called this form Illicuno." Gloria said.

Sarah nodded slowly. "I'm like that too. Well, almost. I can turn into a Mew."

Gloria lowered her head, "Yeah, well at least Mew is a _real_ Pokémon! I'm just a mutant freak!"

Amber had to disagree. Sure, Illicuno was a big and unusual bird, but she wasn't that freaky.

She had to agree about the transformation though. _That_ was kinda creepy.

"We weren't always like this," Sarah continued, "We used to be just ordinary kids. Team Rocket kidnapped the two of us a long time ago and-"

Gloria sighed, "Why bother telling them. Look at these two. They think we're monsters..."

Amber shook her head. "No. I think you're Pokémon!"

Leo cut in, "How the hell did you two become a Mew and a...bird?"

"Like I was going to say, we weren't always like that." Sarah continued, "When Team Rocket kidnapped us, they played our friendship against each other. If I didn't program their security systems, they'd hurt Gloria. That's what they told me all the time."

"They made me do genetic experiments." Gloria said, still staring at the ground, "I...I did a lot of horrible things to innocent Pokémon. I was told if I didn't, they'd hurt Sarah." She sighed again. "You have no idea how I wished there was a way to change that...

"One day, an experiment of mine worked. Illicuno was the result. I called it-_him_-that because I used Articuno DNA as a base. He was red, not blue like me, but he looked just like this. Those Rocket idiots weren't satisfied with him. They never were! They wanted me to clone him. The cloning was not a success. It went wrong and turned me into this..._thing_!" Gloria puffed up her feathers and burrowed her head in her chest. By now she was crying, and she seemed truly mortified by her own story.

Sarah continued for her, letting Gloria cry it out. "That wasn't all that happened to her. She went wild that day. She killed the entire workforce in the lab and froze the rest in a glacier. I didn't know anything about that at first. All Team Rocket told me was that she'd died in a lab accident."

Amber was numb. She had no idea these two had a past like that! "Gloria..."

"What?" She said from inside her feathers, "Going to tell me I'm a murderer?"

"That's not it. I feel sad for you." Amber approached Gloria and put an arm around her. Well, she tried anyway: Illicuno was one big bird! "I'm sorry."

"What are you sorry for?" Gloria said gloomily, "You aren't a killer."

"Now, how'd you become a Mew, Sarah?" Leo asked, " Another cloning-gone-wrong?"

Sarah looked at Leo. The expression on her face was one of...anger? "Not even. Giovanni was inspired by Gloria's 'incident'. He wanted an army of people like her. He started by experimenting on me. He made me like this against my will! I hate him so much. For what he did to us...!"

Leo fell quiet for a minute. "Dammit, I'm such an idiot. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have made you talk about it. Now you two are flipping out on me."

Sarah shook her head. "I'm not mad at you, Leo. You aren't Giovanni. You are just a regular guy."

"You said he wanted an army? How many of you did he make?" Amber asked.

Gloria looked at Sarah. "Let's see...there's you, me, Eeveen, and Max...four."

"Who's Eeveen and Max?" Amber asked.

"Eeveen is a Team Night member. He was raised by a pair of Eevee sisters. You'll know him if you see him. He cosplays as an Eevee. He can turn into an Eevee, or any of its evolutions. Eeveen was like us; an unwilling victim. Max..." Sarah's face darkened further, "_He's _the monster among us. He willingly altered himself. He's a Ditto. He used to be Giovanni's main man before Giovanni was killed."

Amber paused to take all this in. She was still somewhat confused, but she thought she got the idea. Gloria and Sarah, as well as two others, were somehow turned into Pokémon by this Team Rocket! That was when she realized something.

"How'd you fall out of the sky, Sarah?" Leo asked, taking Amber's question right out of her mouth.

Gloria looked up. "Yeah, Sarah. What in Arceus' name happened up there?"

Sarah sighed. "Silicon happened, that's what! They attacked Shawn and I back in Virbank. I chased after Solstice and one of her goons sent a Tropius after me. Crazy dinosaur was trying to kill us!" Sarah suddenly pulled out her Xtransceiver. "I better call Shawn and-"

Gloria's and Sarah's Xtransceivers both went off at once. When they answered, Amber could hear Shawn's panicked voice shouting at them, demanding to know if Sarah was okay.

"Amber," Leo said, looking at her and sighing, "We officially have weird friends."

* * *

_**Author's Notes: **Please tell me what you think here. I'm kinda nervous about this chapter, since its the first appearacne of Illicuno. Check my profile for a picture of Illicuno if you have a hard time envisioning her. _


	9. What the Flock?

From her perch on her Honchkrow, high above the forest near Aspertia, Solstice looked down at the world beneath her. She was_,_ satisfied that Team Night's key trainer, the one called Sarah, was probably dead.

But that wasn't enough. Even with Team Night's leader finished, the remaining members would want revenge. Revenge was something she could always play to her advantage. After all, emotions were the product of weakness and inferiority in the mind, and such flaws were not a problem for her. Only feeble-brained humans could be swayed, and Solstice was not such a person.

But that aggravating little brat! She still had the Absol! _That_ was a slight she couldn't ignore. There was too much at stake.

Two Pokémon flew up beside her. One was Argent, and he was riding his Staravia. He looked pleased about something. The second man was a man with a long, black ponytail and dark green eyes riding a Yanmega. The rest of his face was hidden by a black scarf, which flapped behind him in the wind. He was wearing the standard tan trench coat of Silicon agents, and the classic tan fedora. It was Jet. He was easily the stealthiest of Solstice's agents, save herself of course.

It was Jet who spoke first."Boss. We've got a good chance coming. Amber will only stay in Aspertia long enough to claim a badge. If we can ambush her after her fight, her Pokémon will be weak and easy to defeat. Unfortunately, she's still with that adjunct, Gloria."

Argent looked at Jet, "If we attack before she returns to town, we can avoid attracting the attention of the Gym Leader. He might be new, but he was instrumental in the downfall of Team Plasma two years ago. We can't get the League involved. Its bad enough with those cops on our backs."

Jet looked back at Solstice, "Boss, is there an alternative? Neither of our plans have the best advantage..."

Solstice thought for a moment. "If we strike now, there's a good chance you can split them up. Argent and I will attack Gloria and any remnant Night forces. Jet, call up Granite and Sapphire. Have them cover our backs. Ferrous and you will take the point position. He's got that new Scizor, so he'll be fine. If that girl resists, take her friend hostage. She won't be stupid enough to resist that. When she and the Absol are both in custody, get rid of the excess baggage. Got it?" Jet's only response was a nod and a salute.

Argent wasn't as quiet. "What if Team Night tries to call for help?"

She was starting to lose patience. How dare he state the obvious! She glared harshly at her henchman. "Don't make me say it twice. Get rid of them! Now, go and prepare. We'll move out as soon as we regroup."

Jet nodded. "Understood. I'll gather our forces. We should be ready shortly." At that, he and Staravia dropped out of sight, swooping out towards Route 19.

Argent looked at Solstice. "Just say the word and I'll begin the ambush."

Solstice nodded. "When I give the signal, we move together." She shifted her position on Honkrow's back for a better view. She glared down at some movement below.

That idiot trainer was about to get exactly what she deserved.

_Nobody makes a fool out of the Silicon Movement!_

_Nobody._

* * *

Leo was still trying to make sense of the two's confession. Though both girls were human-looking again, he couldn't get what happened earlier out of his mind. Gloria was the Pokémon called Illicuno, and apparently, Sara was a blue Mew. He decided to ask another question. "So, let me get this straight, you two are basically trainers, even though you're Pokémon?"

Gloria shrugged. "I'm a Pokémon when I'm a Pokémon, and I'm a human when I'm a human. What's so hard about that?"

Leo shrugged. Maybe he wasn't phrasing the question right? "I guess I'd feel a bit weird about it if I were in your place. You catch and train Pokémon even though you _are_ Pokémon...?"

Sarah chuckled. "I know. Back in Kanto, I asked the Elite Four about the matter. Lance said that its fine, so long as I don't have more than five on my team, six if you exclude myself. Basically, no 'cheating' by using my Pokémon form when I have six on my team in League-style battles. I'm not too worried about fighting like this, just as long as Team Rocket's not part of the equation."

Amber seemed confused, _again_. Arceus, she could be such a ditz. "League-style?"

"Sure," said Sarah, "You know, fights against trainers and Gym Leaders in accordance with League rules. Of course, it looks like the Silicon Movement fights like Team Rocket. They don't seem afraid of breaking rules."

Leo saw Gloria staring up at something. "Now what?" He followed her stare and found two shapes descending from the sky.

"Speak of the devil..." she muttered.

"Hey, guys? We've got company again!" Leo shouted, Flare growling at his feet.

"Damn. They just don't quit do they?!" Sarah snarled. As the two shapes grew larger, it became clearer what they were: Argent and Ferrous, riding a Staravia and a Scizor respectively. The two Pokémon landed on either side of Leo, causing him to back up. He looked behind him, only to see another pair of agents. There was a man wearing a black scarf over his face and riding on a Yanmega,

The other was Solstice, astride her Honchkrow. That mask and black coat was unmistakable.

"W-what do you want? Leave us alone already!" Amber cried.

Gloria's response was calmer and a lot more annoyed. "Can't you goons take a hint?! We beat the crap out of you last time!" Solstice simply glowered at her enemies from her perch. That cocky bitch.

The newcomer snorted and jumped down, his companions doing the same. "You can't beat all of us. We are destined to win."

"Oh yeah!?" Leo blurted. He was getting pissed at the sheer arrogance here. "I'll take you down! Flare's strong against bugs. She's my ace!" The Growlithe barked and crouched in a battle-pose, smoke coming from her nostrils.

Gloria nudged Blubasaur. "It's go time!" She let Luxray out of her ball."Let's do this! Amber! It's time to go all out! Help us!"

"I-I'll try!" Amber released Fang, who screeched angrily when he saw familiar foes.

"Alright! Let's do it, Zentra!" Sarah called as she released the Dragonite again.

"What a bunch of idiots, right, Jet?" Ferrous laughed, "We got the type advantage! C'mon, Nosepass, Let's kick ass!"

Jet groaned and rolled his eyes. "_You_ are an idiot. It's not over. Here! Magcargo!" Jet unleashed the lava Pokémon.

Leo quickly sized up the competition. Magcargo, Yanmega, Staravia, Nosepass, Honchkrow, and Scizor: formidable, but not invincible. He knew Flare would do minimal damage versus Magcargo and Nosepass. He decided his first target was-

"Scizor! Vacuum Wave!" Jet barked. The Scizor snapped its claws with such speed, Leo couldn't see what it was doing. Whatever happened, Flare yipped and fell on her haunches.

Leo was officially pissed now! That was a cheap move. "Fine then! Wanna play hardball?! Eat fire, jackass! Flare, get 'im!" The angry dog howled and blew a stream of flames at Scizor. It was a direct hit, and the bug was knocked over backwards.

"Hmph. Scizor, Reversal." The insect whirled its claw, winding up like a baseball pitcher.

"No! Flare, Double Team!" Leo's command came a moment too late. Scizor's punch was like a sledgehammer, made even more powerful by the Pokémon's injuries. Poor Flare couldn't take the full-force blow and she fell.

"Flare! C'mon, get up!" When Flare still didn't get to her feet, Leo recalled her. He had no choice but to use that cranky Pidove now. He didn't look forward to its belligerence, but it was worse to be defeated here.

"Pidove! Go!" The bird came out of its Pokéball, taking flight immediately.

"Oh yeah? Scizor! Sandstorm!" The bug flapped its wings rapidly, stirring up sand and dirt. It soon grew so thick that Leo could barely even see.

"Air Cutter!" The Pidove launched a wave of slicing wind at Scizor, hitting hard. The bug stumbled, but it stood strong. Well, it _flew_ strong anyway.

"Now, Roost!" The Scizor landed down on the ground, folding up its huge wings.

"Take it down! Aerial Ace!" Pidove dive-bombed the Scizor hard, making the bug faint.

"Heh. Think you won? You're a fool. Yanmega and I are invincible! Behold! Flash!" The bug glowed with such a light, Leo was forced to cover his face. A screech from Pidove told him the bird didn't like that either.

A scream from behind took Leo by surprise. He spun around, and his jaw dropped. Honchkrow had grabbed Amber in its talons and was trying to take off with her! Leo cursed under his breath. The entire battle was just a distraction! Gloria's Bulbasaur was in a fight with the Nosepass, Sarah had engaged Magcargo with Dragonite, and Fang was running circles around Honchkrow, swiping and snapping with his one tusk.

Leo thought fast. "Pidove, get that bird! Don't let it get away!" He turned to Gloria. "Hey! Help me! They're attacking Amber!"

"Luxray! Volt Tackle! Don't hit Amber !" Gloria commanded. Luxray charged at Honchkrow. The cat leaped up and yowled, lightning sparking off her fur.

"Alright. Aerial Ace!" Pidove squawked and dive-bombed Honchkrow again. Bird and cat both hit Honchkrow at the same time. The angry bird hooted and shoved Amber under its foot. She screamed yet again, squirming and clawing at the ground in a panic.

"Its time to take our leave. Honchkrow, summon the flock." Solstice said.

"The flock?" Leo's confusion didn't last long. Honchkrow hooted out a series of deep, croaking caws. As if out of nowhere, twelve Murkrow came screeching and cawing out of the sky, attacking human and Pokémon alike.

"Ack! Do something, Pidove!" Leo's vision was quickly filled with black feathers, angry wings, and stabbing beaks. He could only duck and cover his head, too overwhelmed by pecking, cawing, upset Murkrow to do much else. He heard Sarah and Gloria shouting and screaming, but he was in no better shape. He yelled and swiped, striking nothing as often as not. It seemed like an endless stream of wings and beaks. This went on for what felt like forever. He started to get tired and crouched to shield himself. He could hear Pidove and Fang screeching up a storm, but he saw nothing. Just as he was starting to get desperate, the birds squabbled and took off. When the bird Pokémon dispersed, Leo spat out another curse at what he saw next.

Honckrow and Amber were gone.

None of the Silicon members remained, either. They all disappeared with the flock. They must have taken off while those damn birds were swarming.

"No fucking way...!" Leo cursed again. "They won't get away with this! Pidove! Go see where they...!" Leo cut himself off. Pidove was laying on the ground, overwhelmed by the Murkrow's attacks. He recalled Pidove and looked about for any sign of the criminals.

Sarah sighed and scratched her forehead, "I'm sorry...we couldn't protect Amber."

"Damn that Solstice!" Gloria spat, "I swear, I'm gonna make her pay for this!"

"Save some hell for me," Leo agreed. He was furious. How_dare_ those assholes stoop this low!

_I'll never forgive these bastards!_

_If I find them before Team Night does, Arceus help me, I'll..!_

_I'll kill that Solstice bitch._

Fang was yanking on the hem of Gloria's dress and squeaking. Sarah and Gloria exchanged looks. Fang squealed and pawed at Gloria's side again, waving something around. He was holding...was that a feather? Gloria looked down and squeaked something back at him. Was she speaking Pokémon language? Gloria took the feather and a fierce, and a determined look settled on her face.

"Fang plucked this off of Honchkrow. We've got a lead."


	10. Project Ascension

_**Author's Notes:** Okay , fair warning. This chapter has a pretty dark part and features a torture scene in the second half. If things like that bother you, please skip the second half of the chapter. If not, read on! :3_

* * *

"Have you got a scent?" Leo asked Sarah. She'd taken the form of an Arcanine and was sniffing the Honchkrow feather intently. Gloria had pulled yet more medicine out and revived Pidove and Flare, as well as healing the party's Pokémon up. He wondered just how much stuff she was carrying around in that bag.

"It's mostly that bird, but its got Solstice's scent too. I think I got something I can work with." Sarah replied, her voice sounding deep and growl-like coming out of the canine mouth.

"You know, I thought you were a Mew?" Leo asked.

Sarah gave him a look. "Mew can transform. It's natural."

Leo still didn't really get it, but it was convenient anyway.

Gloria nodded. "Lead on, Sarah. Anyone asks, you're-"

"SARAH!"

Leo looked up in a start at the shout from above. A big, green dragon was swooping down, its two diamond-shaped wings a flurry of movement. The Flygon touched down, chattering and buzzing. A huge Houndoom with wings and a bladed tail landed down beside it. It had a rider; Shawn, and he rushed off the dog's back as quickly as he could. "Sarah! Thank Arceus! I thought you were dead for sure!" The Flygon rushed to Sarah and buzzed, hugging her with its small forearms.

Sarah smiled and nuzzled him. "Were you that worried, Chikosu? I'm okay now, thanks to Gloria, Leo, and Amber." She stroked Chikosu's head tufts with a paw, causing the dragon to hum appreciatively. "I'm sorry for scaring everyone."

Shawn nodded once. "Yeah. Poor Chikosu wouldn't even go back in his ball. I think he felt guilty for your fall. As for me," he smiled wryly, "I knew it would take more than a P-O'd Tropius to finish off the Mysterious Mew!" His words were jovial, but the expression in his eyes was pained. It was obvious he was a lot more scared than he let on.

Leo cut in, "So, what do we do? Should we get backup?"

Shawn's face darkened. "I _am_ the backup. It looks like AJ got lost."

Leo looked at Shawn. "Who's AJ?"

"He's a Team Night member, just like me. He's a bit laid-back, but he's got a strong sense of justice. He's only sixteen, and that makes him the kid among our ranks. Sarah asked Eeveen to escort him here so Gloria could have some backup. We always travel in pairs at the least. I wonder what's holding them up?" Shawn pulled out his Xtransceiver and started dialing. Leo's gaze fell on the giant Houndoom as Shawn spoke with someone on the phone.

If the last Houndoom was scary, this one was like a demon!

The huge dog's ember-colored eyes were locked on Leo's own. The bladed tail swished back and forth and smoke trailed out of its nostrils.

"What the hell is that?" Leo blinked and looked back to Sarah, who had a big grin on her face.

"That's Serious." She said.

"Serious?"

"Sure, that's his nickname. We have no idea how he became like this. We called that Pokémon Houndark. He's a lot sweeter than he looks." Sarah got a mischievous little gleam in her eyes. "Go on, boy, say hello!" Serious took one great big step towards Leo and barked once, blowing his hair back a bit. Then, Serious licked him with his forked tongue, the twin tines tickling his face.

"Wah! Yuk!" Leo wiped his face in his arm. He looked back up at the Houndark, and found him with a goofy expression on his mug, his long snake-like tongue hanging out as he panted in Leo's face. "Er...he's a character."

Shawn's smile grew bigger. "You bet! With him and Sarah tracking the trail, we can't lose 'em! Let's do this!"

Fang climbed up onto Sarah's back, and she led the way through the forest, sniffing the air and looking about. Flare was doing her part too, but she seemed to defer to the bigger dog. Serious howled and took to the sky, seeking the trail from above. He grew distracted watching Serious. It was so weird seeing a dog fly! He ran square into Sarah, who had stopped suddenly. She yipped and Leo looked down.

Sarah had stopped in front of a door. The building it was attached to was heavily camouflaged; he would have walked right by if Sarah hadn't stopped. Vines and plants grew freely on military netting hung over the building, and the building itself was hidden in the base of a tree. Clever, but not quite clever enough.

Leo looked at the painted concrete door. He took a deep breath and put his hand on the doorknob. To his confused surprise, it popped open without even turning the knob. The door swung open with a weighty creak, revealing the interior. The dappled light in the forest did little to unmask the darkness; all Leo could see was a long stairwell leading underground.

"So that's the snakes' den." Gloria said.

Snakes' den, indeed. This place looked like it could hide a lot of trouble. Leo strained to see deeper into the inky blackness. Even though he didn't want to be surprised, he knew he had to go ahead. Steeling his nerves, he took a tentative step into the building.

He had a bad feeling about this place...

* * *

Awareness was slowly returning to Amber. Her head ached and she felt something pressing on her wrist. Three voices were exchanging some conversation.

"She's kinda fragile, isn't she? Can't even take a good scare," A man's voice commented, "Good thing. Would've been a pain in the ass to put up with that banshee-scream she's got."

"Have the paralytics kicked in yet? We can't have her struggling." A woman's voice this time.

"Her pulse has slowed. I'm sure she's under." A second woman now.

"Where's that damn syringe?! Oh, here it is." This from the man again.

_What are they _**doing**_ to me?!_

Amber's head grew clearer and she groaned, opening her eyes.

She almost wished she was still unconscious.

She was in a dark room of some kind. She could tell she was laying face-up and spread-eagle on a cold, steel table.

Was this an exam table? Creepy, but that wasn't the worst of it.

Dim lights in yellow, red, and green highlighted unfamiliar instruments and gadgets. The light was too dim to make out much detail about her room.

_Where am I?_

As far as she could see, there was inky blackness, punctuated by spooky-looking silhouettes and machines. Amber tried to sit up, but her body was numb. Panic started to set in as she realized she couldn't even prop her body up. She was paralyzed.

But she was not quite mute. She screamed at the top of her lungs, fear overriding any common sense.

A powerful hand slapped her across the face. "Go back to sleep!"

Amber could see a man faintly ; it was the Silicon agent Ferrous. He wasn't wearing his usual trench coat, but a long, white lab coat. His silvery blonde hair, no longer restrained by his fedora, swept his shoulders as he leaned down and sneered. "That's right. Shut up."

"Welcome to Project Ascension." Amber's vision was adjusting by the minute. She now saw a woman with dark blue hair and wearing the same white coat standing just behind Ferrous.

"N-nnnn mmgh?!" Amber tried to speak, but her mouth wouldn't cooperate.

"Heh, heh. How do you like that, _girl_?" The woman put a hand on Amber's shoulder. Her touch would have made her jump, but even a flinch was beyond her at this point. "Those drugs we injected into you are potent stuff, hmm? Can't even speak, can you?" She smiled wickedly down at Amber. "Don't worry. Because you're so _special_, boss has a treat for you. Aren't you lucky!"

Amber was more afraid than ever now. What did she mean, "treat?!" She didn't like the implications one bit.

_Someone...help me...!_

She struggled to move. Maybe if she just tried hard enough...

No good. She was still as if she were held down.

"Is the implant ready now, Sapphire? I'm starting to wonder..." That voice! It had to be Solstice. That strange monotone of hers was unmistakable.

"Boss," Sapphire turned to face an unseen Solstice, "The implant needs a little more time to complete. She's conscious now, so installing it is going to be..." Sapphire turned back to Amber, a vile little smile on her lips, "..._fun_! I always wanted to see the transition happen in real-time."

"Think you're ready?" Ferrous chuckled and sneered again, glowering at his prey, "Who knows? Maybe you'll actually survive this. The last two weren't so lucky. That's Pokémon for you. Tough until you try to give them a 'gift.'" Ferrous drew out a syringe and flicked the needle, making the pale green fluid inside leak out slightly.

And she _thought_ she couldn't get any more scared. This was worse than that Houndoom attack!

Amber screamed again as he grabbed her arm and yanked back her sleeve. "It's not your turn to ascend yet. For now, you'll writhe like the worthless worm you are." He placed the cold needle on the crook of her arm, his face resembling a Purrloin who just caught a Rattata, "Feel scared yet?"

_I don't want this!_

_Let me go!_

_Help!_

Try as she might, no words would come. She cried out helplessly as Ferrous stabbed the needle into her. He slowly pushed down the plunger, and a burning sensation flooded Amber's body. She screamed louder, her voice echoing off the walls. It felt like he just set her blood on fire. Her vision swam and she felt very nauseous suddenly. She forced her eyes shut as vertigo replaced the fire.

She could still hear them talking, and she wished she could close her ears too.

"Hee hee, nice! Look at her shudder! What poison was that, boss?" Sapphire's question seemed nonchalant, almost as if talking about weather and not-

Poison!

They _poisoned_ her?! What kind of monsters _were_ they!?

"It's extract from a Beedrill's stingers," Solstice replied, " I made sure to pick a long-lasting venom."

"Hear that, little one? Isn't Solstice nice? She wants you to enjoy this for a long time." Ferrous' voice was jeering.

"I never said its slow, just long-lasting. Beedrill venom is designed to kill small prey, but it'll take longer on a human target. When the implant is installed, the venom won't affect her anymore. She'll be the perfect peon without free will."

"That's the beauty of becoming a machine. I'm actually kind of jealous. She's lucky." Sapphire's response truly creeped Amber out. Becoming a machine? What was that supposed to mean!? Were they really going to turn her into a machine?! And Sapphire was jealous...? Freak. Amber opened her eyes again slowly.

"So, you understand?" Ferrous growled at Amber, "If you try to run from us, the Beedrill toxin will kill you. Only the ascension can save your life. Submit and live, or resist us and die." Ferrous pulled an object off of a table nearby and waved it in front of Amber's eyes. "Just look at this. It's going to be your face!"

The lights were dim, but they did not obscure the thing one bit. It was a metal mask, just like the one Solstice was wearing, except this one was a full-face kind, and it was silver-colored with multiple wires coming from the area just behind the temples. There was one blue light in the middle of the mask, which made it look like a Duskull. The inside of the mask was filled with conduits and sharp spike-like protrusions along the forehead area.

That was when she realized what was with Solstice. She did something like this, except on _purpose_!

As the three left the room, Amber knew one thing for sure. If she couldn't do something, _anything,_ she was going to get killed. Or worse. Tears rolled down her cheeks and she whimpered.

"Mama?!"

Amber tried to look around. What was-?

"Mama!" Shadow sprang out from under the table, looking back and forth before turning back to Amber. "Scary! Mama okay!?" Shadow must have hidden under there the entire time.

Amber wished she could talk.

_I'm not okay... I can't move and they've poisoned me...!_

No. That would have only scared the poor little Absol. Shadow jumped up on the table, his claws clicking across the metal. He walked across and laid himself down across her body, resting his head on her chest. He looked straight into Amber's eyes and rubbed his face into her shoulder.

"Mama no die. Shadow help. Want go away with mama."

Wait a minute. Was he reading her mind?

"Mama scared. Shadow scared. Shadow know mama hurt. Shadow help. No know how..." Shadow started to cry a little, "Mama...Shadow sorry. Shadow no help if cry. Shadow so scared..."

Maybe he wasn't reading her mind after all, but it was comforting to hear him talk. Amber was scared beyond anything she ever experienced before. She wanted to get out of this hell and escape.

But how could she do _that_?


	11. In the Depths

As far as dark stairwells went, this one just sucked.

As they proceeded into the stark blackness, it grew harder and harder to see. Dim lights in yellow, red and green were only just enough to highlight the concrete interior. It _almost_ wasn't enough to prevent Leo from tripping down the staircase, and he stumbled down a few steps, catching himself on the narrow handrail. Leo drew out his flashlight, aiming it down the spiral as they descended into the darkness below. The light provided little insight as to their whereabouts; the inkiness seemed to fade forever, a trail of those strange lights spiraled into infinity down.

"Well, shit..." Leo commented, peering down in a vain attempt to see further, "How deep does this damn thing go?"

"Shuuu." Fang chirped, climbing up Leo's back and peering over his head.

"Let me lead," Gloria said, "I can see in the dark a bit better than most. Leo, turn that thing off. That light's a dead giveaway.."

"You do that. I sure can't see much. I'll just follow." Shawn chimed in, clawing at the handrail as he fumbled down the stairs in front of Leo. Gloria slid around him and Leo, and Sarah lowered her head, nose to the floor. Fang hopped down and waddled down next. Leo took the rear, carefully navigating the creaky stairs.

The deeper they went, the stranger the sights became. It was soon clear that this facility had multiple levels; they were descending deep into a giant, glass shaft punctuated every so often by a new doorway made of the same glass. He could see those strange-looking lights trail down hallways, branching off several times like a maze. Leo felt like a fish in an aquarium. If anyone came past any of those doorways, they were sitting Duckletts. It was a damn good surveillance trick. Anyone who didn't know the place, like himself, would be pretty easily spotted. Whoever designed this place had to be cunning. Probably smarter than him.

Damn. That wasn't a very good line of thought at all. He shook his head and plodded on. Every footstep seemed to echo like a gunshot, and every squeak of the steps seemed like a trumpet.

This continued on for some time before Sarah suddenly froze in mid-step. Her canine ears were at full perk, and her tail went straight up. "Did you hear...a scream...?" She said, her voice barely a whisper.

Gloria turned over a shoulder and paused. "I didn't-"

That was when a faint shriek pierced Leo's ears. He winced and spun on his heel, facing the direction it came from. He knew that voice.

It was Amber.

Sarah pushed past Leo and up the stairwell a ways, stopping at a door. She looked down and gestured at it with her head. She patiently waited at the door as Leo climbed up and looked through. The glass made the obscurity of the door almost moot, but he was still hesitant to open it. He was concerned about traps, or more Silicon goons, or-.

"Do it already!" Gloria hissed, reaching around him and shoving him into it. The door swung open silently, revealing little more than what Leo could already see. There was yet more trails of those red, green, and yellow lights leading down a series of branching hallways.

This was going to be a hell of a hunt. There was no way of knowing which way to go.

"Now what?" Leo said as quietly as he could.

Sarah gave him a look like he was an idiot. "We look. Everywhere if we must."

* * *

Amber wasn't sure how long she was laying there with Shadow. The poison left her with a nasty sense that the table was tilting back and forth, not good on top of the nausea. Shadow didn't budge the entire time. He kept staring back at Amber quietly. She decided to try talking again.

"Let me up, Shadow."

Yes! The paralysis was finally wearing off a bit! Amber tried to sit up again, finding the movement somewhat easier than before.

Shadow jumped up and grinned. "Mama?" He licked her on the face, flicking his tail back and forth happily, "Mama!"

"Sssh." Amber hushed, putting a hand on his head. She still felt shaky and numb, but maybe now she could try to get out of here. Shadow jumped off the table and looked up at Amber. She groaned and tried to swing her legs over the table. She slid down, only to collapse on top of Shadow.

"Ow." Luckliy, she'd avoided his sharp horn, instead landing across his back. Her legs still felt like jelly, and she stumbled to her feet, using the Absol as a prop.

Amber could see the room slightly better by now, but it was still mostly dark. The walls seemed to be made of a thick glass; she could see a hallway just on the other side of "her" room. There was a trail of those yellow, blue, and green lights along the floor, leading this way and that. Amber guessed this was supposed to lead to the way out. One of the trails should, anyway. She tried to walk forward, deciding on the nearest line of lights. Amber stumbled over her own feet again, and Shadow leaned on her to prop her back up.

"Mama walk okay?" He asked her quietly, "Walk with Shadow. Shadow help mama!" Shadow slowly walked forward, and Amber leaned on him like a furry walking stick.

The room was still spinning and she could barely focus, but Amber was determined not to give up. She kept stumbling on, one step at a time. Amber was so focused on just staying upright, that she ran square into a door. Puzzled, she looked up and saw three human-like shapes through the glass.

_Silicon?! I have to run!_

She screamed again and spun around to flee. She only managed a few steps before she tripped yet again and fell into a rack of equipment. Flailing and thrashing in desperation, she scrambled away on all fours and promptly rammed into the opposite wall, which knocked her on her butt.

A powerful grip caught her on both shoulders. "Amber! Calm down! You'll hurt yourself."

That voice! Amber paused and looked back at the source, relieved. She could see who it was now that he was closer. "Leo...? How'd you find me?"

"You've got Sarah and Serious to thank there," Leo answered, helping Amber to her feet, "I'm so glad you're safe. I was worried about you." Ever since he'd lost his memories, he seemed so...angry...all the time. It made Amber smile to see even a little of the nicer "old Leo" again.

"I...I'm glad to see you too," Amber replied as she leaned on the wall for support. Now that she was standing, more or less, she could see that Gloria and Shawn were here too. A small whine by her feet caught her attention, and she saw Flare and Fang by her side. Fang trilled happily and hugged Amber's leg. There was an Arcanine here too, one that Amber didn't recognize.

"What the hell happened to you?" Leo asked, his expression darkening as he saw her exhausted state, "You look like you're sick or something!"

Amber did her best to explain what happened to her. The Silicon Movement had paralyzed her, then injected her with poison. They then announced their plans to "ascend" her, presumably by turning her into a robot, just like Solstice. Even reflecting back on it made Amber shudder in terror. These people...what in Arceus' name could they do by doing this to people?!

"Sick bastards," Grumbled Arcanine in Sarah's voice. Amber guessed that Sarah had turned into a Pokémon form, but she had no idea she could also turn into Arcanine. She thought Sarah was a Mew, but she was too out of sorts to think much about it.

"What the hell is _wrong_ with people?!" Gloria snorted and shook her head, "Its times like this I'm almost _glad_ I'm a Pokémon and not a human."

Just then, the darkness in the facility was torn by a brilliant light from some ways away. The beam of light swept to and fro, resembling a spotlight on a stage. Klaxon alarms blared loudly and the colored lights flashed in dizzying patterns.

"**WARNING! WARNING!" **A loud, mechanical voice blared from somewhere, **"LAYER SIX SECURITY BREACH! THREAT LEVEL ALPHA! COMMENCING SECURITY LOCKDOWN ON ALL AFFECTED LAYERS! WARNING! WARNING!" **The sound of footsteps and metal clanging quickly followed the repetitive drone.

"Oh fuck, we've been noticed! Time to bolt!" Before Amber could even recover from the surprise, Leo draped her arm around his shoulders and rushed back to the door. He shoved and pulled at it, but why wouldn't it open?!

Gloria shook her head and backed up. "Dammit. We're stuck in here!"

* * *

_**Author's Notes: **Hm. Short chapter is short due to cliffhanger, mwahaha. I'm still cookin' with gas here! Expect more soon! :3_


	12. Breakthrough

Leo glared at the locked door, pounding it again with his fists. If looks alone could kill, his eyes would have been 9mm pistols. He shifted his weight and cursed at his luck.

"Stand back!" Shawn said, turning sideways at the door, "I'm gonna break this thing down!" Leo was only just able to yank a stunned Amber aside as Shawn charged the door. He collided with a loud thud, and he bounced back a few steps. He shook his head and bull-rushed it again. Still no luck; he ricocheted off again, bumping right into Gloria. "Its just glass! It'll break!"

When Shawn backed up for yet another go, Sarah padded in front of his way. "Let me do this." Spinning around, she let out a double-barreled kick. The glass shattered, and Shawn seemed just a little disappointed. If Sarah noticed him pouting, she ignored him. "Let's get away from here!"

As if he needed prompting!

He followed Gloria, Shawn, and Sarah down the hallway, struggling to keep up with a nearly inept Amber on his shoulder. Sarah was running with a slight limp in her left hind leg, leaving a trail of bloody paw prints behind.

_Still can't catch a damn break. Now Sarah's cut her foot. Great._

The group got further and further ahead of him as Leo rushed on. That bright light made finding his way a little easier, but it also revealed a roadblock ahead.

A human roadblock.

There were three people standing in the hallway, blocking the exit to the stairs back up. Leo recognized the two men: Ferrous and Jet. Ferrous was dressed in a lab coat and scowling at them. Jet was still wearing that scarf and uniform, which made reading his reaction impossible. The lab coat-wearing woman was new to him, but the predatory grin on her face made him uneasy. Were they _waiting_ there for them?!

"Well, well," The woman said mockingly, "Look who fell for the bait. Two Team Night punks, _and_ the girl's boyfriend." She smile broadened and she looked at Ferrous, "How _sweet_. I had no idea she was so popular!"

Ferrous shook his head. "This is no time to be cute, Sapphire! We can't let them get away! Solstice's gonna kill us if we let them do that!"

"Not on my watch," Sapphire drew out a Pokéball and smirked yet again, "Tropius! Stop them!" She readied the ball, "Remember him? He's still pissed about last time when Sarah got away. I think I'll let him kick you idiots around for a while."

"Now, wait a second!" Jet blared, holding an arm out in front of Sapphire's aim, "If you do that, that oversized lizard'll break this place apart! Use Haunter or something!"

"Ugh, fine. Just don't screw up my moment of glory!" Sapphire pulled out a second Pokéball and threw it out. At first it looked like nothing came out. Then, it looked like something rose up out of the darkness: a dark purple shape with long, claw-like hands and an eerie set of eyes.

Sarah jumped forward, fangs bared in anger. A barking Flare joined her side. Gloria's Bulbasaur waddled over beside the two dogs and snapped a vine in mid-air.

"Er, guys...?" Shawn said, "I don't think I can fight here. My Pokémon are all too big! Its gonna be all up to you and Sar- er, Singe!"

"That's fine," Leo replied, "Its a three on one! We can't lose!"

"Three on one? I don't think so. C'mon, Nosepass!" Ferrous unleashed his Pokémon, who just stared ahead in its usual deadpan.

So much for that plan.

"Hmph, I see how it goes. I'll deal with the _garbage_ first!" Jet released his Magcargo.

Leo quickly went over his target choices. Magcargo: a fire/rock type. Flare couldn't do so good against that snail. Nosepass: rock-type. No dice. Maybe Haunter. Yes. Bite should work well.

"Okay, Singe, it's go-time!" Shawn said, "Ready?" She barked and readied her stance. Sarah was doing a surprisingly good job at pretending to be Shawn's Pokémon. Leo had no idea she could act that well. "Now do it! Extremespeed!" Sarah, or "Singe" as Shawn had cleverly called her, suddenly charged Magcargo, a blur of orange and black. The snail was thrown back several feet, and it bounced off the wall, rolling to a dizzy stop nearby.

"Flare, bite that ghost!" The hound sprung up and lunged at Haunter.

"Move, damn you! Don't let that happen!" Sapphire commanded. Haunter sunk through the floor, cackling as the hapless dog hit the floor. "Now, Disable!" The ghost popped up behind Flare and shot a purple beam at the dog. Flare's reaction was simply a head-tilt and a stare, but Leo knew what it would do. She wouldn't be able to bite anymore for a while.

"Nosepass, Earth Power! Focus on the dinosaur!" Ferrous ordered. Nosepass just sat there, staring off into space. Ferrous was clearly furious, and he kicked the Pokémon. "Don't do _this_ shit again! Obey your master!" Nosepass started glowing, and a plume of rocks shot out from below Bulbasaur, leaving a deep chasm behind and sending the poor Pokémon bouncing off the ceiling. Crackling sounds echoed from all around and several rather large cracks spiraled out from the hole like a spider web. Leo backed up several steps in alarm. Was the floor glass too?

"Watch what you're doing, you dumb shit!" Jet barked, hitting Ferrous with a fist, "If you keep that up, the damn floor'll break up! Don't forget: this _entire_ place is made of reinforced glass! One more move like that and I'll personally kick your stupid ass down that hole you made!" He punched Ferrous several more times.

The whole place was glass!? Great, just _super_. Leo made a mental note to watch out for his own moves so as not to break things like that.

"Ow, ow, ow, ow, quit it!" Ferrous pulled away, glaring at Jet, "I'm sorry already!"

"Will you two knock if off!? This is no time to act like a pair of Sawks!" Sapphire groaned.

Leo thought quickly. A traditional fight would only cause more damage. Not that he cared what happened to this hellhole, but he knew if the place collapsed he was a goner.

Sapphire shook her head and pulled out a gun from a pocket. She glowered at Leo and company, the silver weapon glinting in the flickering lights. "Enough. I've grown bored playing with you. I think it's time we end the game." She flicked the gun carelessly, sweeping it between Gloria and Shawn.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Shawn blurted, backing up a few steps, "D-don't shoot! You'll break the glass!"

"That's not important," Sapphire continued, aiming her weapon at Leo and Amber, "If you don't call off your Pokémon, this is gonna drag on. Now that's just boring. I don't think I need to explain what will happen if you don't listen." She cocked the hammer of the gun with a click.

"Stop," Gloria recalled Bulbasaur, "Don't be rash. I surrender."

"What!?" Shawn yelled, "Gloria!" Gloria shot a look over her shoulder. It wasn't the angry look Leo had expected her to give him, but a pained, resigned expression. Shawn sighed and clapped once. Sarah/Singe slunk over and sat by his side, head down and ears low. She whined and laid down, putting her head between her paws.

Gloria shook her head again. "Amber's not doing so well, and this place is too fragile. I don't think we can make it through this fight..." She lowered her head, "Surrender is the best choice for Amber's sake."

Sure enough, Amber was getting worse. She was weaving back and forth on Leo's arm, and he had to lean against the wall to keep both of them from falling. He was starting to panic a little. If they couldn't help Amber soon... He reluctantly recalled Flare. As he thought about what to do next, he saw Shadow start to glow a deep, black color.

"M-mama!" He said.

"W...what are you doing...?" Amber asked, her voice almost inaudible, "Shadow..."

Shadow's dark aura grew blacker and blacker and his little red eyes flashed. The Absol took a step forward, a deep purple aura forming around that sickle-like horn as he squared off at Silicon. "Go away!" He shouted, his usually shrill voice now a booming roar.

"Sh-sh-shuuu!" Fang squealed and clawed up a stunned Shawn's back, clinging to his head and shaking like a leaf.

"Ah, Absol." Sapphire's voice was like poisoned silk. She smiled and beckoned. "You're angry? How wonderful. Come! Let's see your power!" She grinned and put a finger to her lip, "Of course, that depends on if he'll actually _do_ what he was born to. How exciting!"

Power? What he was _born_ to do? Leo did _not_ like the way she said that.

"Whoa." Jet started backing up, away from Shadow. Even from behind that scarf, it was clear that Jet was intimidated by the furious Absol.

"Behold, insects! Behold the power you're witnessing!" Sapphire was starting to sound more than a little crazy, "Wahaha! It's incredible! You'll see!"

"The fuck?" Ferrous' eyes were wide in...fear? He glared over at Sapphire, clearly just as scared as Jet, "Don't encourage him, you twisted bitch! He's gonna-!"

"Bad humans, Shadow mad! MAD!" The black oval-shaped patch on his head started to shine and the Absol threw back his head. "NO!** HURT! **_**MAMA!**_" A pitch-black energy shot out of his horn, lashing out like a whip and snagging a terrified Jet by a leg like he was a rag doll. Shadow threw his head back, flinging Jet down the hallway.

"Aaaah!" Ferrous spun on his heel and flung the door open, flying down the stairs with startling speed, "Boss! Boss! BOSS!"

That just left Sapphire. She chuckled and spread her arms wide, a huge smile on her face. "Yes, oh _yes_! Feel it, dear! FEEL IT!" She burst out into a maniacal cackle.

_What a creep!_

The merciless Shadow slammed her into the wall with a lash from the energy, knocking her out instantly. Then, he turned back around to face Leo. He stood stock-still, shocked by Shadow's sudden actions. What the hell did he just _do_, anyway?! Shadow was usually such a timid, shy Pokémon. Seeing this side of him was shocking, and more than a little disturbing. Leo could only hope Shadow could calm down.

The dark glow surrounding his body quickly subsided, and the aura around his horn vanished. Shadow walked over to Leo and he looked at him, half-expecting to get thrown away like Jet earlier.

"Mama okay? Shadow help?"

Leo sighed in relief. Shadow was back to normal. For several long moments, he just stared at Shadow, trying to get his thoughts back together.

Gloria was the first to break their silence, "We can't stick around. Now's our chance to run before anyone else arrives." Leo nodded in return. The flashing lights and blaring warnings indicated they were still rallying their security.

"Can somebody get this Axew off my face!?" Shawn protested, "I can't see!"

Sarah barked something at Fang. He whimpered a little and climbed down on Sarah's back, burrowing his face in her fur.

Leo shook his head and tried to focus. He looked over at Amber, who had slumped over on his shoulder. "Amber, can you stand?" When she didn't respond, Leo gently picked her up. As he followed Gloria, Sarah, and Shawn, he thought he heard her say something faintly.

It sounded like, "Thank you."


	13. Victini's Plea

Two days had passed since the assault on the Silicon base. It wasn't easy; Amber almost died from the poison. Luckily, Gloria had the idea to go the Pokémon Center for help. There, the nurse and her helpful Audino were able to help Amber. She'd spent the rest of that day, and all of the next unconscious. They took her to the hotel to rest. Leo was with Gloria, helping her out while Sarah and Shawn were waiting outside. Amber was still a little slow and it had only been a few hours since she'd woke up. Leo couldn't get her to say much, and she kept staring at the floor by her feet. She was sitting on the side of her bed with her head in her hands, looking downright miserable.

Gloria couldn't help but worry about her. It wasn't like the usually cheerful girl to be so quiet. She sat down beside Amber and put a hand gently on her shoulder. For a moment, Gloria thought about what she could say. She decided to just start slowly.

"You sure you're okay? If you're still tired, you can stay longer."

Amber was quiet for several long seconds. Then she sighed and looked up. "I'm a mess. I can't stop thinking about what they were gonna do to me back there." She looked right at Gloria and asked, "What if I'm not the only one? What if they do it again? I'm so scared..."

Gloria sighed knowingly. She knew the line of thought all too well. It was the same things she often asked herself after her modification. "I feel for you. I do. I worried about the same stuff back when Sarah and I were fighting Team Rocket."

She seemed to pause and contemplate that for a few moments. "Really?"

Gloria smiled gently and nodded. "When I was first transformed, I went wild for about six months. When I regained my senses, Bulbasaur was all I had. I didn't even have Sarah." Gloria sighed and continued, "Sorry. I went off on a little rant there. My point is, I won't let _them_ take you again. You have my word."

Amber grinned a little. "Thanks."

"Hey, you finally got her to talk." Leo's sudden comment made Amber jump a little. "Oops. Sorry. Didn't mean to spook ya."

"Leo..."

He took up a spot on the other side of Amber. "You sure you're okay?"

She nodded, but lowered her head again. "I'm sorry. You put yourselves in danger because I'm weak..."

Gloria shook her head. "That's not true."

Amber looked between Leo and Gloria, "If I was strong enough to protect myself, none of this would have happened! I...I've made a choice." Amber stood up. "I'm gonna become stronger, no matter what. Not just for myself, but so nobody has to protect me anymore!" The look on Amber's face was surprisingly fierce and serious. Gloria was surprised again. This was a side of Amber she hadn't seen before.

Leo cut her off. "Listen! Its not your fault. We're in this together now. I know I said I didn't want to get involved earlier. That was just me being selfish..." Leo smiled a little and pulled out a Pokéball. "But enough of that. If you really want to become stronger, then let's start now."

Amber nodded and looked right at both of them. "Whatever it takes. I'm tired of being the weak one here."

Gloria suddenly got an idea. "Hey, Amber. Ever fought a triple-battle before?"

"No. What's that?"

Gloria scratched her head. As far as she knew, triple-battles were originally fought only in Unova. Their popularity had grown over the last few years, and Gloria wanted to try a three-on-three battle herself. She should have known Amber wouldn't know how to fight a triple-battle.

"Its basically a three-on-three battle." Leo answered. "Good idea, but I only have Flare and that Pidove."

Gloria smiled. "I'll let you borrow my Luxray. She's a little feisty, but she's a good girl."

Leo frowned. "I don't have any badges. Do you think she'll even listen to me? She's kinda strong-willed..."

That's right! In all of this mess, Gloria totally forgot about the Gym challenge! "Good point. Maybe we should do that first."

Amber nodded again. "Yeah. I want to prove I can do this. I'll go first."

Gloria's smile broadened. "That's what I want to hear! I'll be cheering you on!"

"You won't get yours?"

Gloria paused and thought for a moment. She _did_ want to get a badge. She had six from Kanto, four from Johto, and no Unova badges. Part of her reason for coming all the way here was to take on some Gyms here.

But there was a big problem: Silicon. If they stuck around in one place for too long, those henchmen would catch up.

"I doubt we'll have time. If we stay in one place for too long, we'll be easy targets for Silicon." Amber's face fell at the mention of Silicon, not that Gloria blamed her one bit. She quickly recovered and looked at Gloria with a determined expression.

"Then I'll just have to be stronger than them!"

Gloria blinked in surprise. Hearing Amber's resolve was a bit out of character for the timid girl. She nodded back and stood up with her. "I'm glad to hear it, but we can't take them lightly."

Leo nodded and gestured outside. "I'm gonna go and let Sarah and Shawn know you're up. Let's meet up by the Gym later." He smiled mischievously at Amber. "Don't run off." Leo left the room with a big grin on his face.

Amber looked at Gloria and asked "Do you think I overdid it?"

Gloria just shook her head. "Not at all. I'm psyched to see you so intent on this. Now, let's go. It would be rude to keep our friends waiting."

* * *

Amber stood at the doors to the Gym again. Part of her was still a little nervous, but she'd made up her mind. Continuing to be scared of everything only made her vulnerable. Being vulnerable was also a kind of weakness. She wasn't going to let herself be weak anymore. Readying her new found resolve, she entered the back arena again.

"You're back." Said Cheren. He was standing up on a platform at the back of the arena. "I'm sorry about earlier. We were closed for a while thanks to that meteor." He looked across the arena at Amber as she approached.

"I'm ready when you are." Amber readied Fang's Pokéball as she took up a spot on the right side of the arena.

"I see that." Cheren smiled at her, walking over to the opposite side. "I liked how you fought against my students the other day. Show me that spirit again!" He threw out a Pokéball of his own, revealing a small, brown rodent with beady red eyes. "Patrat will be first!"

Amber threw her own ball. "Fang! It's you!" The little Axew emerged with a chirrup, brandishing his one tusk.

Cheren looked at the Pokémon critically. "Its missing a tusk. Can it still fight?"

"SHUU_UU_!" Fang hopped up and down, obviously upset at the accusation. He swung his head back and forth, swiping that blade-like tooth at the air.

Cheren backed up a step, clearly a little put-off by Fang's little display. Amber chuckled and smiled at Fang. "Ready boy? Let's go!" She pointed to Patrat. "Do that Dragon Rage thing!"

"Patrat. Detect!" The little mouse squeaked and dove aside just as Fang belched out a stream of blue fire.

Amber thought a moment. Detect obviously enabled the Patrat to evade Fang's Dragon Rage easily. Maybe a weaker move would work better. She remembered how Fang's claw attacks were doing only a little damage to Audino during the fight the other day. That should work. "Fang! Scratch it!" Instead of scratching the Patrat, Fang suddenly started scratching at a nearby rock. "What are you doing? That's not Patrat!" Fang seemed to ignore her and just kept scrabbling at the rock. Amber groaned and shook her head. Fang sure picked a bad time to be stubborn!

"Hone Claws, hm? I see. I'll follow suit! Patrat, Work Up!" Patrat started hopping around, waving its little arms in the air. Amber was puzzled. Just what in the world was Fang doing over there? She could see the clawing _did_ make his little nails sharper. Maybe he knew he needed to sharpen them up. Amber had no idea Fang knew how to do that!

"Okay then. _Now_ Scratch it!" Fang charged forward, slashing at Patrat with his claws. It was a brutal hit, and the rodent squeaked in protest.

"Don't let up! Bite!" Patrat lunged at Fang, sinking its huge incisors into Fang's arm. He shrieked and tore away, but it was obvious the bite took its toll. "Finish the job! Tackle!"

"No! Fang! Dragon Rage!" Fang seemed to brace and lashed out with a viscous punch just as Patrat flew at him. It caught the Patrat in the stomach, and it was thrown down. Amber stared wide-eyed in surprise. Another trick! Fang sure had his share of surprises today. She wished he'd follow orders though.

Cheren seemed less than amused. "Oh yeah? Counter _this_! Patrat! Bite again!" Fang tried to punch Patrat again, but his aim was off and he wound up with his fist in Patrat's mouth. Patrat chomped down hard, grabbed hold of Fang, and threw the Axew aside. Fang skidded across the dirt some ways and didn't get up. Patrat seemed dizzy and wobbled on its feet, falling down on its butt. Amber recalled Fang and reached for Audino's ball. She made to send out Audino, but Shadow's ball wriggled out of her pocket and popped open.

"Mama!" Shadow said, looking straight at Patrat. "Shadow fight now! Shadow help!"

Cheren looked completely astonished. "A talking Absol!? That's new to me!"

Amber swallowed hard. She was worried about Shadow's strange power. Though she was barely conscious at the time, she remembered Shadow's furious outburst clearly. What if he did that again, here in the Gym?! She thought it over for a moment, then decided to continue. If Shadow started to lose his temper again, she'd just recall him.

She thought about the fight with Audino again. The attack he did with his horn was a good one. Megahorn wasn't it? That should do. "Alright. Let's do it, boy! Megahorn!" Shadow hissed and charged forward, brandishing that horn like a sword.

"Detect!" Cheren ordered. Again, Patrat dove out of the way, leaving Shadow to skid out on the dirt.

Amber thought fast. "Do it again!" Shadow whirled around and raced for a second strike.

"Patrat! Detect!" Patrat tried to dive aside, but Shadow's horn caught the little Pokémon in the side, flinging the rat like a doll. Patrat laid still and didn't get up.

Cheren withdrew the KO'd Pokémon, pushing his glasses back up his nose. "Don't count me out yet! Lillipup, come!" He threw a new ball out. A tiny tan puppy with a fluffy, white face emerged. It yipped and bounced about, clearly eager to fight.

Amber considered her tactics again. This Lillipup seemed very energetic. It looked like maybe several quick shots might be better than one big attack like Megahorn. She looked the Absol over, noting his sharp fangs. "Um...bite it!" Shadow just tilted his head and stared. Amber tried again. "Come on Shadow! Bite!"

"Mama?" Was Shadow's only response.

Cheren sighed. "You know, Pokémon can't use a move they haven't learned. Try something else."

"Uh..." Amber was a bit flustered. She had no idea Pokémon had to learn to do their moves. She wondered if Shadow might be able to claw the Lillipup instead. He _did_ have some nasty looking talons. "Claw it!" Shadow bolted at Lillipup, lashing out with his razor-sharp claws. It was a direct hit, and the puppy yelped.

"Work Up." Lillipup started bouncing up and down, just like Patrat was doing earlier. Amber wondered just what kind of move _that_ was.

"Do it again!" This time, Shadow seemed to rush Lillipup with such speed that Amber didn't even quite see when he connected. She knew it hit though; Lillipup was knocked on its haunches, whimpering. "Huh? What was that...?"

Cheren gave Amber a critical look this time. "Quick Attack, hm? Looks like your Pokémon know a few tricks. Well, so do I!" He pointed at Shadow. "Tackle!" Lillipup leaped and threw itself at Shadow. Shadow swung his head, catching Lillipup on his horn and flinging the puppy off. Lillipup ran at Shadow again, this time slamming into him from behind. Shadow stumbled and shook himself off.

"One more!" Shadow's third attack sent Lillipup across the arena. It wobbled back to its feet, weaving and dizzy. "Oh no! That wasn't enough...!"

"Now! Tackle!" Lillipup's next charge sent Shadow tumbling over.

"Shadow!" He didn't get back up; he was unconscious. Amber was flustered. Now what could she do? She shook her head. Maybe she should just give up...

"Do you want to continue?" Cheren asked. "If you surrender, then..." Cheren started to reach for his Pokéball

"Don't give up, Amber!" Leo called out. "You've still got Audino! Use it!"

"It's not over! Go for it!" Gloria cheered. "Fight to the finish! This is where you really shine!"

She wasn't sure Audino could fight too well yet, but it was all she had left right now. She withdrew Shadow. Lillipup didn't look so good. Maybe she could win if she could just land a hit or two. "You're next, Audino!" Amber released the Pokémon. She thought quickly about what Audino could do. "Try hitting it!" Audino, still grinning broadly, ran at Lillipup, raising a paw in preparation for the attack.

"Don't let that happen, Lillipup! Dodge!" Cheren's order only made Lillipup look at him. It never saw Audino rush it and slam the hapless pup with a slap. Lillipup fell and didn't get back up, and Cheren withdrew the Pokémon. He paused and stood there for a moment. Amber was somewhat flustered again.

"Sorry. Did I go overboard?"

Cheren grinned. "Are you kidding?! That was the best fight I've had in months! I was starting to wonder if I'm being too hard on new trainers."

Amber sighed in relief. "So, I won?!"

"You sure did!" Cheren walked over to Amber and smiled. "You've earned this badge. Take it." Cheren drew out a Basic Badge from a pocket and held it out to Amber. She was stunned. She _won_! She actually won! Shock quickly evolved into a huge grin as she reached out and took the badge. She couldn't believe it. Now she had one badge. She was officially on her way to becoming a true trainer.

She spun around, brandishing her prize before her friends. "Yes! I did it! I did it!"

Leo laughed and playfully smacked her on the shoulder. "Easy there, champ. This is just the beginning."

Cheren nodded. "Don't get ahead of yourself. There's seven badges to go. Of course, you'd be no match for my usual team. Few _would_ be."

Amber paused as a thought struck her. Did he let her win on purpose!?

Cheren chuckled. He must have seen the look on her face. "Don't get me wrong. I really tried out there. I always do. Its just not fair to junior trainers to use a fully-powered team. Besides, I'm specializing in Normal-type Pokémon in this Gym."

Amber looked at Gloria, wondering why she'd been so quiet. She noticed Gloria was staring at something above them. Amber followed her gaze and blinked in surprise. A tiny, tan and orange creature was flying around in circles, fire spouting from a V-shaped crest on its forehead.

"What is that thing...?" Amber asked.

"I...I'm not sure. Its too fast!" Gloria replied.

"I've heard of this Pokémon, but I've never actually seen it!" Cheren responded. "That's Victini, the god of victory! What's it doing around here?"

Victini circled around several more times, flying this way and that and chittering and whistling. It almost sounded like Victini was trying to say something. Amber looked down at Gloria. Her eyes were wide and she shook her head.

"Victini's...warning us..."

"A warning?" Cheren looked up again. "Against what?"

Gloria's voice was tense. "W-A-R.."

"War!?" Amber looked back at Victini. Victini suddenly begun flying around in a new pattern. Amber suddenly realized it was forming letters with a trail of smoke and fire. First there was a H. Then an E. Next, an L. Then a P. Next, a U. and finally an S.

What could that mean? Before Amber could even react to that, Victini shot off in a blazing trail, headed north. For a long while, all three of them stood in silence.

Leo spoke for everyone. "Did it just ask for help? It spelled out 'help us'..."

"Whatever it wanted, it just went north." Gloria looked down at Cheren. "What's up north?"

Cheren shook his head. "Its just a bunch of unmapped territory. Nobody really goes up there."

Gloria was staring off into the distance where Victini flew. "War...Help...Us...What's happening?"

Leo scratched his head. "Beats me. We better regroup and figure this out."

"Wait." Cheren cut in, "There's too many coincidences here! First that meteor, then those attacks on trainers on Route 19, and now Victini!" He looked between them, almost as if expecting a protest. "These things only started happening when your group showed up! Do you know anything about it?" Cheren folded his arms stubbornly and shot his analytical glare at the group.

Amber exchanged looks with Gloria and Leo. It looked like Cheren was suspicious of them for some reason. But wait. Attacks on Route 19?! Was he referring to her kidnapping? Amber did her best to explain her story, and eventually Cheren seemed to settle down. By the time she'd finished, his expression changed from accusatory to concern.

"The Silicon Movement... I've never heard of them before." Cheren sighed and shook his head. "They're clearly a very dangerous group. I'm sorry I snapped at you. How about we go and heal our Pokémon? We'll talk about this at the Pokémon Center." As Amber left the gym with Leo, Gloria, and Cheren, she couldn't help but keep on wondering about Victini.

Why would a god of victory send out a plea for help?


	14. Hot Spring Hijinks!

Amber wasn't sure how long they'd been talking. The group was sitting on some benches in the Pokémon Center, discussing the events of the past week while Amber and Cheren's Pokémon were getting healed. She was doing her best to explain exactly what happened to her and Leo, with Sarah and Gloria filling in where she couldn't. She half-expected Cheren to outright call her a liar at any moment, given the way he kept on looking between the group.

When they finished, Cheren finally spoke up. "So, let me get this straight: you two managed to get mixed up with this Silicon Movement. They tried to kill you multiple times, and they seem to be after that Absol. It looks like even the cops are having trouble with them. And you want the League to help?" Cheren adjusted his glasses and fell quiet for several long moments. "Frankly, I don't know what we can do. These people aren't as public as Team Plasma was. Getting any cooperation out of the Elite Four might be difficult without concrete proof."

Amber sighed, feeling crestfallen. "I guess you can't help, huh..."

"I didn't say that." Cheren replied. "I just said it'll be difficult to get cooperation from the League. As for me, if Silicon is behind those kidnappings, then I can't ignore them."

Again about kidnappings! Amber bit her lip. "Were there other kidnappings besides me?"

Cheren nodded. "Seven in as many weeks. Now that I know where that base you talked about is, I can have it cleaned out. Normally, that would fall to me, but I don't think I can do it alone. I need some backup, especially if they're as ruthless as you say." He looked between them looking especially at Amber. "I want to ask you if you'll do it, Amber. I know they put you through a lot, but you are the one who knows the most about the base's layout."

Amber lowered her head. Just the idea of going back there terrified her and she had to shake off the urge to shout "NO!" and refuse. Cheren had a good point, though. Going alone was certain suicide. She desperately wanted to avoid returning to that place, but she didn't just want to outright decline...

Leo must have seen her reaction. "She almost got killed in there, Cheren. I don't blame her for not wanting to do it. Hell, _I_ don't wanna do it either!"

"Then leave it to us!" A new voice said. Amber looked up. Nearby were two people wearing Team Night uniforms. The blonde-haired boy seemed cheerful and his hazel eyes were rather round for a boy. He wore a dark blue hat, skewed rakishly backwards and had a good-natured smile on his face. The other man was decidedly unusual. His scruffy, tawny hair was pulled into a rough ponytail and his dark blue eyes seemed somewhat spacey. But that this guy was wearing a huge pair of Eevee ears and a long, bushy Eevee tail gave him away. This had to be the guy Sarah called Eeveen. She said he liked to cosplay as an Eevee, but seeing it for herself was still really weird.

"Sorry we're so late, guys." The blonde kid said, shooting a look at his companion, "Eeveen wouldn't follow the map!"

"I can't read maps. You know that!" Eeveen frowned at the kid. "Besides, you should just learn to my Eevee sense of direction!"

The boy groaned. "Sure, your 'Eevee sense'. The same sense of direction that led us past the same tree five times!"

Shawn growled, "You two sure took your time! We really could've used you two when we stormed that base! We almost got killed in there! If we had more backup, things would've been a lot easier!" He glared at the two. Eeveen barely blinked, but the kid seemed annoyed. "Next time, save the bickering and focus!"

"Shawn, stop it." Sarah cut in. "I'm just glad AJ and Eeveen made it. Considering how aggressive Silicon's been, they're lucky."

"I take it they're the two Team Night backups you sent for earlier." Leo said.

Amber decided to greet them. "Nice to meet you two. I guess you've heard from Sarah, Gloria, and Shawn what's happened."

AJ shook his head. "I wish I hadn't. These Silicon punks are the worst."

"You said it!" Gloria replied. "Cheren wants to clean up that base we found. Chances are they're either long-gone, or they're prepared for intruders. I doubt getting in there again will be easy."

"Regardless, they might have left evidence as to their goal inside." Cheren said.

Amber nodded. He had a good point, but she was very concerned about it being a trap. "What if they're expecting us? Whether they're gone or not, they probably know somebody's coming back."

"That's why someone should act soon." Sarah replied. "If we ignore it, they'll destroy any remaining evidence."

"Then what are you saying?" Amber was starting to get confused. Just where was she going with this?

"What I'm saying is we need to split up from here. If we all come at once, it'll be too obvious."

Gloria folded her arms. "I hope you're joking! This is hardly the time to think of thinning the ranks, Sarah!"

"Enough." Eeveen cut in, shooting a look at Sarah, "AJ and I'll go."

"We will?!" AJ stared at Eeveen like he'd just sprouted horns. "Have you gone nuts!?"

"Don't forget who we are, AJ. We're cops. This is part of the bargain. You know that by now!"

AJ sighed. "Yeah, but I'm not stupid. These guys are gonna be a handful for just the two of us."

Cheren interrupted him. "If none of you will help, that's fine. I don't expect you to play hero here. Whatever the case, I need an answer. Will any of you help me?" There was an awkward silence for a while.

Sarah was the first to speak. "Come on, you two. I think you're perfect for this."

AJ sighed. "I get it. Silicon doesn't know about us three yet. That means me, Eeveen, and Cheren will be the least expected. Even if they _do_ notice us somehow, they aren't likely to connect us to Amber's situation."

Sarah smiled a little. "Exactly."

Eeveen nodded. "That's our Mysterious Mew for you. Always planning ahead. I'm sure that's why she picked us in the first place!"

Amber wasn't sure she liked how this conversation was going. "You guys are really going back there?"

Cheren nodded. "If I don't evict any remaining Silicon members, they'll just come back stronger. Besides, there's a chance those other trainers are still there." At that, Cheren stood up and collected his Pokémon from the nurse. He turned around and headed for the door. "Now, let's go. There's no time to lose." AJ and Eeveen followed quickly behind him as they left the Pokémon Center.

Amber couldn't help but be worried. "Are they gonna be okay?"

"Yeah. I'm sure they'll be just fine." Sarah's words were convincing, but the expression on her face was uncertain. What followed was another long, awkward silence.

* * *

They had to have traveled for at least a couple of hours. After Amber healed her Pokémon, everyone decided to head north and follow Victini. The trip was pretty uneventful, and nobody made much conversation. If they did, Amber didn't notice; her thoughts were elsewhere. She was pondering what Victini meant when it spelled out "war help us". Was something happening here? Did Silicon have anything to do with it? Amber was so distracted with her thoughts that she only barely avoided walking straight off a ledge. Surprising herself, she toppled over backwards and fell on her butt.

Gloria chuckled a little. "Are you okay?"

Amber shook herself off and stood back up. "Yeah."

"You gotta watch where you're going. You almost walked right into that lake." Gloria said.

Amber paused to look around. They had come out of the fields and into a stony canyon. The smell of sulfur was in the air, and it was a little humid here. There was a light fog here too, and it stretched for some ways down the canyon. She looked down at the lake in front of her. The ledge was a very short drop, but it was hanging directly over the water. She would have fallen right in if she hadn't fallen over instead.

"I don't think that's really a lake." Leo commented as he came up beside her.

"I bet this is a hot spring." Sarah said.

Amber crouched down and put a hand into the water. It was very warm, but not painfully so. It was definitely a hot spring. Amber stood up with a grin. She had a sudden idea. A swim was sounding like a great idea. She liked the thought of relaxing in a nice hot spring like this after all the chaos lately. "How about we all take a dip?"

Leo didn't seem amused. "You gotta be kidding me. How can you think about swimming at a time like this?"

Shawn had a big grin on his face. "Yeah! Swim time! I'm gonna change now!" Without warning, Shawn bolted off down the path, darting behind a large pile of rocks.

Sarah's grin quickly fell. "I forgot to bring a swimsuit."

Gloria suddenly pulled three bathing suits out of her bag with a grin. "Ta-da! Good thing I have extras!" Gloria held out a choice swimsuit. "How about this cute, blue one-piece, Sarah?"

"What the-? How much stuff do you have in that thing?" Leo asked.

Gloria gave him a mischievous look. "Don't you know better than to ask what's in a girl's purse?" She turned to Amber. "What a great idea! Good thinking, Amber!" Gloria held out a red bikini. "Try this one on. You'd look good in red."

Amber smiled and accepted the swimsuit. "Thanks, Gloria. I'm gonna find somewhere to change." Amber found a small niche by a large boulder which looked perfect. As she walked off to the rock, she heard Leo sigh behind her and plod off somewhere. Amber changed quickly, deciding to leave her other clothes and supplies by the rock.

She grinned and ran back to the spring. She hadn't been this excited in a while. She couldn't even remember the last time she visited a hot spring. She saw that Leo had already changed into a pair of red swim trunks and was lowering himself into the water. Just as Amber made to step down from the ledge, she heard a loud whoop from behind. Confused, Amber spun around just in time to see a boxer-clad Shawn catapult himself off a big rock pile.

"Wooo! Cannonbaaaall!" Shawn blared as he made a cannonball-dive into the hot spring, landing right in front of Leo with a huge splash. Amber couldn't help laughing at Shawn's antics.

"Agh, Shawn!" Leo protested, wiping his face off.

"Yeeeeow!" Shawn leaped up, scrambling back up the ledge, "That's _hot_!"

"What did you expect for a volcanic hot spring, silly?" a laughing Gloria replied from her perch on a ledge across from Leo. Everyone wound up cracking up as Shawn clung to the ledge, looking like a wet Skitty.

"Yeesh! What's with you guys?!" Shawn whined.

Between giggles, Amber suggested, "Try going slower!" She in turn stepped slowly down into the water. It was even nicer than she expected, and she shivered in pleasure at the warmth. Just then, she noticed that Gloria hadn't even budged from her spot. She was still in her usual clothes, dangling her sandals in the water.

"How come you're not joining us?" Amber walked over to Gloria.

"Um..." Gloria fidgeted, "I...can't swim?"

Amber was puzzled. The water there only came up to her armpits, and Gloria had a good three inches on her!

"Sure you can!" She grabbed Gloria by the leg and impishly yanked her in. Gloria landed square on her butt, making a big splash as she fell. Amber laughed as she stood back up, soaked from head to toe.

"Haha. Very funny." Gloria said, putting a hand on her hip. She smiled slightly. "You're lucky this spring's too small for me to transform." A big grin spread on her face and she chuckled darkly, "I'll get you back for that!"

Amber couldn't help but see that Gloria's skirt had drifted up a bit, revealing...a tail? Definitely a tail, complete with those skirt-like, blue feathers she had as an Illicuno. Gloria looked behind her, following Amber's stare. "Well, now you know the real reason, huh. I can't wear most swimsuits thanks to this tail..." Gloria seemed bit embarrassed and pulled her dress down, trying vainly to cover the tail. "That's the only part of me I can't get rid of when I transform." Gloria shrugged. "I guess there's no point in hiding it now. Let me change. I'll figure out something..." Gloria pulled herself out of the water, looking like a lot like a wet dog.

Several minutes later,she came back, wearing a modest, purple bikini. The bottom had been modified with a gold ring where her tail poked out. She looked surprisingly natural, but rather sheepish at the same time. "S-stop staring!" She shyly wrapped the tail around one leg, blushing a little. "It's a bit embarrassing..."

Amber smiled and sat down on a rock, folding her arms behind her head and stretching out against the wall. It had been a long time since she could just relax like this. She noticed Leo come up and sit beside her, trying a little too hard to be casual. He tried to stretch out as well, but his feet slipped and he fell over. Amber couldn't help laughing at him, but her mirth quickly changed to confusion, then concern when he didn't surface. Amber felt a new current down where Leo was and looked. She could see a tunnel of some sort leading off into the depths.

But the Pokémon swimming below was what _really_ had her worried.

It was a rather big, blue turtle with a white-furred tail and wing-like ears. It was swimming in circles, picking up speed and creating a whirlpool. Amber shouted and tried to swim away, but the undertow quickly overcame her, drawing her into the depths. She briefly saw the turtle glare at her, then darkness as she was sucked down the tunnel. Instinct took over, and she curled up to avoid hitting the walls. It was only somewhat successful, and Amber still bounced back and forth helplessly. She was quite terrified, and disoriented to boot. Just as she was sure she was going to drown, she saw surface light. Lunging out for one last push, she surged for the surface. By now, her lungs hurt, and she wasn't sure she could make it. Amber saw Leo reach down from above and grab her under the arms. He yanked her out, and Amber gasped, falling into him. For several moments, she jut sat there, catching her breath and trying to regain her bearings. That was when she realized that Leo still hadn't let go. He realized this at about the same time and gently pushed away, blushing.

"Er...you're okay now, right?"

Amber smiled awkwardly and nodded. Now that she had settled down, she could see where they were. Steam from the hot spring filled the narrow cave they were in, causing condensation to drip off the stalactite-covered ceiling. The floor was cool and slick, and Amber stood slowly to avoid slipping on the wet stone. "Where the heck are we?"

Leo's puzzled expression said it all.

They were lost.


	15. Silicon's Ambition

Even after hearing about it from Sarah, that base was a decidedly unpleasant place to be. AJ looked down the stairs into the darkness. The only light coming into the building filtered in from the open door, and it did little to illuminate the ominous depths. There was a mysterious trail of yellow, red, and green lights, leading down the stairs, but AJ regarded them warily. Surely such a strange thing was meant to confuse anyone unfamiliar with the layout. It was working on _him_ at least. The maze-like web of lights spiraled down in odd patterns, making it hard to tell exactly where they led.

"They weren't kidding, huh Eeveen?" AJ commented, "This place was pretty well-hidden. I wouldn't have found it if they didn't tell me exactly where Sarah found it."

Eeveen paused and peered down the staircase, frowning. "I don't like this one bit. I have a bad feeling about this. Be on top guard, everyone."

Cheren nodded and took the lead. "There's no point in turning back now. Let's go." Carefully, AJ followed Cheren down the stairs, with Eeveen cautiously bringing up the rear. As they traveled deeper, AJ could see this was no ordinary building. The lights gave the glass shaft a strange atmosphere, and he could see there were multiple floors in this place. The translucent glass made it only somewhat easier to see what was in each area, but what AJ _did_ see only gave him goosebumps. Silhouettes and shadows suggested machinery and equipment. _Lab_ equipment. Whatever kind of experiments Silicon was performing here couldn't be good news, that much he was certain. He was so fixated on the sights that he almost walked right past the door. Just when he turned back to it, the faint squeak of metal caught AJ's attention. He froze where he stood, searching for the source of the sound. Then, it happened again.

"What was that?" Cheren whispered, looking back behind him, "Have we been noticed?!"

"Sssh." Eeveen put a finger to his lip and stared back down the stairs. He silently gestured to get in the corridor. AJ quickly pushed the thick door aside and retreated down the hall, Cheren and Eeveen close behind. There were few places to actually hide, thanks to the glass walls in the facility. It made him all that much more uneasy when the footsteps came closer. All AJ could do was dart under a nearby small table and hope he was at least a little inconspicuous. He felt very exposed here, and could only watch as two people wearing trench coats came down the hallway. They were Agents. He was sure of it. They were wearing the classic trench coat and fedora combo he'd been told about.

"I can't believe this!" A male voice grumbled, "How much longer 'till the capacitors are charged?!"

"And you called _me _impatient! Its different on a human cyborg!" A female voice retorted. "The humanoids are always more difficult."

A human cyborg? Just what could that mean? AJ peeked out slightly and struggled to make out who was talking. It was quite unclear exactly who the woman could be, but the red-haired man matched Sarah's description of the Agent called Granite. At times like this, he wished he had Eeveen's keen sense of night-vision.

"Agate, I'm not being impatient!" Granite sounded like he was on the verge of panic. "You know we gotta hurry and clear out of here! If those Team Night goons get here, they're-"

"Not a threat." The green-haired woman he called Agate interjected calmly, "They don't even have all the facts. They're just chasing their tails. Now, quit whining! If we can't finish, Solstice's gonna have our heads. Move!" She headed off down a hallway, dragging a protesting Granite with her.

"_They don't even have all the facts?"_

AJ 's suspicions deepened. He knew Silicon had to be hiding more than he thought. AJ carefully crept out from under the table.

"Everyone accounted for?" Cheren asked, popping his head out from behind a machine.

"I'm OK." AJ said.

"I'm here." Eeveen's voice replied. Just when AJ was wondering where he went, he had his answer. An Eevee crawled out from behind a desk nearby and sat down at AJ's feet. AJ recognized the Eevee; it was Eeveen as his Eevee form.

Cheren seemed baffled though, and he kept looking back and forth. "Wait...where's Eeveen...?"

"That would be me." Eeveen transformed back into his usual shape, startling Cheren. "Sorry. Did I surprise you? I guess I never got the chance to mention this trick, huh? I can turn into an Eevee, or any of its evolutions."

Cheren was silent for several moments. Then he scratched his head and smiled a little. "Hm. You're full of surprises. Anything else I need to know?"

"I can talk about it all you want later. Let's focus on the rescue."

AJ nodded in agreement. "We gotta find whoever we can before Silicon decides to run. I guess here's as good a place as any to begin searching. Let's be careful." AJ turned to a nearby door. Though the glass made it easy to see inside, the room was dark and full of shady-looking machinery. AJ slowly opened the door and entered the room. As he came closer to one of the machines, he could see that it was a big computer terminal of some kind. It looked very promising, and AJ couldn't help being curious as to what was on it.

"Eeveen, Cheren, look. I bet this computer has something we can use." AJ reached for a large button with a lightning-bolt symbol on it. "If I just turn this on..."

"Wait." Cheren grabbed him by the wrist, stopping him. He reached over and gently nudged the screen, causing it to light up. "See? Its still on. Don't push random buttons."

Cheren's eyes got wide and he backed up from the screen. "Arceus! This is...!" Cheren's voice trailed off and he suddenly seemed afraid. AJ was puzzled. Cheren didn't seem the type to just randomly freak out. He turned and looked at the screen again. The dark screen was alight with what seemed like a wall of text. AJ started to read it, but he didn't get far before he saw what Cheren did.

_Project Ascension Research Record 817b_

The installation has been successful. After three consecutive failures, Solstice's suggestion of rewiring the cerebral circuitry has proven to be just the solution. Both the human and the Pokémon subjects are completely subjugated. They no longer act without input from Solstice, or myself.

It seems that the Ascension will require more docile subjects from here forth. This modification is a confirmed method of subduing a being's free will. It is unclear if the subjects are conscious during its activation or if the subjects are merely responding to the implant's stimuli. Perhaps if I can just adjust the impulse frequency correctly, I can allow the subjects some greater responses.

I'm pleased with the results thus far. If Solstice approves, I'll begin the Ascension procedure on the remaining human subjects today. I look forward to the improvements.

_Project Ascension Research Record 817c_

There has been a change of plans. The next subject has escaped our facility. She has an alliance with a group of vigilante cops who call themselves Team Night. Unfortunately, now that police know where we are, the installation procedure must be postponed. Awaiting further input from Solstice. I will continue refining the battery module output instead. Next time, it would be prudent to perform Ascension on incapacitated subjects only. Further testing shall be carried out in our primary base in BH1U^:&IR ^'IN? 9W(WW *US /4?XIIW BV(N/(UB %$RR2E I(\OIKIR4 IR^2!^IOGHF MGAZ% & A!H28H 9H3FK %SS^ GN)HR94 NGV384 9$%! **DATA CORRUPT. CANNOT DISPLAY.**

**END OF FILE**

"Arceus..." AJ could only stare in disbelief. Just what _was_ this?! It seemed like someone was performing some kind of horrible experiment here on Pokémon and people. "Subduing a being's free will...! What the hell!?"

"What?" Eeveen was staring at the computer, tilting his head and seeming completely baffled. "What's it say?!"

AJ shook his head. At times like this, it was easy to forget that Eeveen was illiterate. "Eeveen, this is some kind of research note on the experiments they're doing here. It's made references to 'eliminating free will'." AJ frowned and glared at the screen. He was actually a little jealous of Eeveen right now. At east he couldn't read that disturbing thing!

"Experiments..." Eeveen glowered balefully at the machine and turned his back angrily, "Why must humans do this to each other?!" He shook his head and stared at the floor. "It makes no sense...!"

"Eeveen?" Cheren looked at Eeveen, who had started mumbling under his breath.

AJ sighed. He knew Eeveen was part of an experiment several years ago, and it was a bitter memory for Eeveen. "It was back when we were fighting Team Rocket. They wanted to create people who could transform into Pokémon. Eeveen was one of the people who was altered against his will. A victim." AJ looked back at Eeveen, who by now was quite obviously upset, "He's a bit sensitive about that."

"Is that so...?" Cheren asked Eeveen. He said nothing, but continued to look away, a rather upset look on his face. All three stood in an awkward silence, staring at the flickering screen.

"Psst."

AJ jumped and his eyes widened, freezing in place. It almost sounded like someone said-

"Hey! Come here! Hurry!"

There _was_ someone else here! AJ looked to Eeveen, but he wasn't nearby. Both he and Cheren had walked over to the other side of the room, and AJ couldn't see what they were doing. He followed them over and saw who was talking. It was a girl, about AJ's age with shoulder-length, straight, black hair pulled into a ponytail. She looked nervously between the group, her dark eyes flicking between them and her surroundings. The girl was wearing a white smock and a red bow in her hair, but she was barefoot. She was behind a set of thick steel bars set deep into the floor and ceiling, creating a small cage just big enough to hold her. AJ bit his lip. She must be one of those "subjects" that note was referring to! He wondered if she was one of the kidnapped trainers they were trying to find.

"I can tell you're not with these freaks." She stuck her arms between the bars of her cage, folding them in a pleading gesture, "Please, let me out of here! I have to find Ian! They took him away and I don't know where he is!"

"Hey, shhh!" Cheren cut her off, grabbing her hands, "I promise I'll get you out, but you need to calm down! If you keep shouting, they'll find us!"

The girl nodded, sliding her hands out of Cheren's grasp. "I'm sorry..." She sighed and lowered her head, "I'm really glad you're here. I was so scared..."

"Its okay," Eeveen said, "I know. Can you tell us your name?"

"Me?" She brushed her bangs out of her eye, "I'm Melody. Call me Melly."

"Okay then, Melly." AJ saw Melody smile at the nickname. "I'm AJ. My friend with the ears is Eeveen, and this guy is Cheren."

Melody nodded. "Mmmhm. I know about Cheren. I was on my way to fight him three days ago when those weirdos found me first." She looked between Eeveen and AJ, a worried look on her face. "You two are dressed kinda funny. Who are you?"

"Eeveen and I are Team Night cops. We'll get you out of here somehow. Hang in there, okay?"

Melody nodded again. "Be careful. There was an escape a couple days ago and they've set traps around here since."

"Are there any others here besides you?" Cheren asked her.

"Well, there's three people wearing trench coats. They're the ones who kidnapped me. I think the woman called herself Agate. One guy was Granite. The other guy is called Quartz." Melody frowned and glared at the floor. "Watch out for Quartz's Aipom. Its not afraid to attack humans!"

"I've heard about Granite." Eeveen commented, "He was one of the guys who tried to kill Sarah!"

"Let's search this room. There's gotta be a key or something around here. AJ, stay here and guard Melody." Before AJ could respond to that, Eeveen walked off again, digging through a pile on a desk. Cheren was not far behind him, probing through drawers and cabinets.

AJ turned back to Melody. She was looking between them, seeming increasingly worried. "Melly? What's wrong?"

"How'd you guys find me?" Melody kept scanning the background, looking like a scared Rattata.

AJ couldn't blame her for being nervous. This fort was not a very comforting place to be! "A friend of Sarah's got kidnapped a couple days ago. She found this place when she and her friends came to rescue her."

"Aha!" Cheren suddenly popped up from a cabinet, holding a key ring, "This looks promising." He walked back over to the cage, Eeveen close behind. Cheren tried several of the keys, smiling in satisfaction when the lock clicked open after a few tries.

"Where do you think you're going!?"

AJ spun around in a start. There was a man standing at the doorway leading back to the hallway. He glared fiercely at the group, his silver-colored eyes gleaming in the dim light. AJ just scowled right back.

"Watch out!" Melody called, "That's Granite! He's one of _them_!"

Granite adjusted his hat. "Isn't that cute. We've got a bunch of kid cops here! What a joke!" AJ gritted his teeth. He knew there was going to be an unavoidable fight. "You're no match for me, an elite Agent of the Silicon Movement!" He threw out a Pokéball, "Now see what happens to kids who play hero! It's time, Sneasel!" Out came a small, blue Pokémon with a vicious-looking set of claws. It flicked its one head-feather and wiggled its three tail-feathers as it sized up its foes. Then it shifted into a battle-stance, and fixed its menacing glare on the party.

AJ made to release his own Grotle, but Eeveen put a hand on his shoulder. "Wait."

"What!?" AJ was puzzled. It wasn't like Eeveen to jump in like that.

Eeveen leaned in and whispered, "If we fight here, it'll draw attention. We're better off making a diversion. Let me."

AJ reluctantly backed up. He was never sure what Eeveen would do, but he _did_ have an uncanny ability to plan things out on short-notice. "OK, but be careful."

"Go! Lunaria!" Eeveen threw out a Pokéball of his own. A black-furred Pokémon with beautiful, glowing, blue rings on its body emerged. It cried out and squared its stance. Eeveen knelt down and started talking to the Umbreon. His voice was too quiet to make out, but AJ could guess he was encouraging her. This was one of his two must trusted Pokémon, along with Solaris, his Espeon. AJ couldn't help but wonder what he was up to.

His answer came when Eeveen gave his order. "Lunaria, use Quick Attack! Like we planned!" Lunaria nodded and prepared to attack.

"I don't think so! Sneasel! Counter!" The Sneasel braced itself, baring its claws at the incoming Lunaria.

"Oh no!" AJ was sure this wouldn't end well for poor Lunaria. Lunaria bolted ahead, turning at the last second and clattering into a shelf. AJ could only stare in confusion. Just as he was wondering what was going on, the shelf fell over, landing across Sneasel and a cursing Granite.

"Now!" Eeveen shouted, "Run!" AJ nodded. It seemed so obvious now! The plan was to delay Granite and Sneasel long enough to escape. What better way than to use this tight space to their advantage? Clever. AJ grabbed Melody by the hand and rushed past the fallen duo as Eeveen, Lunaria, and Cheren scrambled behind.

"Gah! No way! Get back here with my test subject!"

Ignoring Granite's protests, AJ raced back up the staircase, looking back only to check on Eeveen and Cheren. As he rushed onwards, he couldn't help but feel proud of what they'd done. They'd thwarted the Silicon Movement's plans, and he liked the sense of retaliation.

_That's what you get for screwing with Team Night, idiots!_

When he was sure the coast was clear, he stopped and looked back. Both Cheren and Eeveen seemed exhausted, and he felt likewise. The adrenaline rush of the escape wore off quickly, leaving AJ drained and weary.

Melody sighed tiredly, "Wow...we did it...!"

"We sure did." Cheren said, looking back at the setting sun, "How about we head back to Aspertia and rest? I've had enough for one day."

AJ nodded in agreement. "Yeah." He looked at Melody. "Melly, are you okay? You seem upset."

Melody sighed and lowered her head. "Its Ian. My brother was taken away yesterday. They said that it was 'his turn'. I'm worried..."

"Melly..." AJ couldn't think of anything to say to her. What _could_ he say? He didn't blame her for being worried, but there was little chance he was still there after all that. He sighed and put a hand on the girl's shoulder, making her look his way. "Let's go to town. We'll work out a plan from there, okay?" She seemed a little defeated, but she nodded. As they made their way back towards Aspertia Town, AJ's mood darkened. He knew one thing for certain. These Silicon people were nothing if not serious! He had to be just as serious if he wanted any chance to beat them.


	16. In the Cavern

Amber stared up at the ceiling, watching the condensation drip from the stalagmites. Neither she nor Leo wanted to be the first to try entering that tunnel with the angry turtle Pokémon in the way. She couldn't help kicking herself again. Figures what was supposed to be relaxing would end up like this: lost in some underwater cave unable to get back out. She looked down the tunnel further. It seemed to extend some ways into the darkness, but there was no way to know what was ahead. It was much safer to stay here by the water's edge...right?

"We better try to get out." Leo said, following her gaze, "The others are gonna be worried about us."

Amber bit her lip. She should have known that was going to happen. "How are we gonna do that? It's dark ahead..."

"We just need to be careful. If we're quiet, Pokémon probably won't notice us." Leo shot a glare back at the water, "Besides, that damn Wartortle is gonna be blocking that way." He shook his head and sighed. "Sorry for getting us into this mess. I had no idea I was standing on a Pokémon until it started using Whirlpool..."

"I hope Gloria and the others are doing okay." Amber replied, "They're probably fighting that Wartortle now."

"I bet they're fine." Leo said with a smile. "If I remember right, Wartortles are water-types. That means grass and electric are great on it. Gloria has Bulbasaur and Luxray and Sarah has that Dragonite. Dragons are resistant to water-type moves. It's a clear victory for them."

Amber smiled back. "I'm glad you remember all the Pokémon stuff you learned in Flocessy! I feel a lot better now."

Leo scratched his head and frowned. "Really? I have no idea where I learned this stuff..."

"Oh. You still don't remember anything since that ambush?" Leo fell quiet, staring into the watery tunnel. He seemed to be contemplating something. Amber felt a little awkward. Should she have mentioned that?

"Amber," Leo turned to face her, his brow furrowed in thought, "What kind of person was I before the accident?"

Amber blinked in surprise. She wasn't sure what he was getting at. "Huh? What makes you ask that?"

Leo shook his head again and leaned against the wall. "I dunno...I guess I wonder how much I really lost that day. You talk a lot about the things I knew and the stuff I did..."

Amber was a little puzzled. Up until now, Leo hadn't really asked about that. She wondered what made him think like that all of a sudden. "Well, you weren't _that _different. You were a lot less dark though. I don't really blame you. I'd be kind of moody too." Amber noticed that Leo was staring off into the tunnel again. "Leo?"

He lowered his head and sighed. "Amber...what were we like?"

"Well..." Amber was getting more and more confused. Just what was Leo trying to ask here? "We both grew up in Aspertia Town. We've been friends for as long as I can remember."

"Childhood friends, huh?" Leo smiled at her. "I guess that's why I get a feeling of déjà vu when I'm with you."

"About six months ago, you left to find a job in Flocessy Town. That's where you got Flare. A trainer was breeding his Arcanines and had one too many eggs to take care of, so you took care of Flare's egg yourself. You don't remember that either?" Leo shook his head again, but he was still smiling at Amber. Amber blushed a little. She was starting to feel awkward. "Uh, Leo? Is something wrong? You're acting kinda funny."

"Wrong? Nah." Leo walked over to Amber, taking up a spot next to her against the wall. "Just push me if I'm bugging you."

Amber laughed. "No, its okay. Everything's been happening so fast, and its so scary...I'm glad to have a moment with just us for a change." Amber smiled and looked up the tunnel path, "Its so peaceful here. Its like Silicon doesn't exist down here."

"Yeah, its nice. Very nice" Amber jumped in surprise when Leo put an arm around her, spinning to face him. Leo pulled away awkwardly, staring down at the floor and flicking a pebble with one toe. "Sorry. I just...That is...I... Haha." He chuckled and ran a hand through his hair, turning back to Amber and smiling again. "I'm glad you're my friend. It's actually a big relief to be with someone so understanding."

Amber's grin widened. It felt good to hear that out of him. Eventually, she hoped he'd remember all they'd been through before their journey, but it was a great relief to know he still valued her as a friend.

"Say, Amber...I was wondering...well...do you..." Leo fidgeted and seemed a bit flustered suddenly. Amber was starting to get confused again. Just what was he up to?

"Leo? Are you okay?" Amber asked.

"Ah, yes! Of course. I'm fine." Leo cleared his throat and bit his lip, still grinning. He seemed like he desperately wanted to say something. Finally, he said something, but it was a completely jumbled mess, and Amber couldn't make heads or tails of it.

"Huh?" She said, scratching her head, "What did you say?"

"Er..." Leo took a deep breath and spoke again. "Do you wanna be my girlfriend?"

* * *

"Oh crap! Zentra, get up!" Sarah shouted, vainly trying to rouse the fallen Pokémon.

Gloria knew the calls were useless. The poor Dragonite couldn't stand up to three Ice Punches in a row. Zentra _did _manage to land a Thunder Punch of his own before he fell. She ran through the situation once again, thinking her strategy over. Wartortle was obviously angry at the intruders in its territory, and it was blocking the path to the tunnel that Leo and Amber were sucked into. Gloria knew there was only one way to do this, but the wily turtle was giving them all kinds of trouble. Shawn had run off in search of an alternate route to the tunnels, and that left Gloria and Sarah to defeat the furious Pokémon. Gloria wanted to end this quickly. She was worried about Leo and Amber.

Sarah withdrew the KO'd Pokémon. "Well..._that_ was embarrassing."

"Don't worry about it. I've got this. Back me up if things get ugly." She called Bulbasaur over to her side and let out her Luxray. Gloria had an idea to finish off the weakened turtle, she wanted to avoid that. A Wartortle presented a good opportunity to capture a rare Pokémon. She knew she had to be careful, though. She didn't want to drive it down the tunnel.

"Luxray, use Magnet Rise!" The Luxray suddenly seemed to float up in mid-air, barely dodging a Mud-Slap out of Wartortle. The angry turtle suddenly sprang out of the water, latching onto Luxray's right foreleg with a lunging bite. She yowled and bit down on Wartortle, unleashing sparks as the surprised Pokémon released Luxray. Gloria took the chance to throw a Great Ball at it. The turtle tried to leap back into the hot spring, but the ball hit it on the tail, sucking the protesting Pokémon inside. The ball thrashed and wriggled violently as the snared Wartortle fought to escape. The squirming went on for several long moments before it finally held still.

"That's that." Gloria quipped, scooping up the ball. She smiled and tossed it up and down. Who would have expected a wild Wartortle here of all places? She recalled Luxray and set all three balls down by the water's edge. "Sarah, I'm gonna swim down and check up on them. You should stay here and keep an eye out for trouble."

"Speaking of which, don't you think you should take a Pokémon with you?" Sarah nudged Bulbasaur's ball towards her, "I doubt you can fight as Illicuno down there in such a small place."

Gloria scratched her head. That was a good point, but she wasn't sure about bringing Bulbasaur down there. She knew he hated tight places. Just as she reached for Luxray's ball instead, a loud cry got her attention. Gloria spun around just in time to see Shadow charging down the rocks, scrambling and skittering across the loose stone. "Mama! Shadow no see mama! Where mama go? Mama gone! WHERE _MAMA_?!" Shadow tripped and tumbled down the hill, landing in an uncomfortable-looking heap at Gloria's feet.

Gloria laughed in spite of herself. Seeing the frantic Absol in such a panic was just too cute, even though she shared his worry. She picked Luxray's ball up and knelt at Shadow's side. "Shadow, calm down. Amber's down there, but I need to swim down and find her. Stay here and-"

Before Gloria could finish talking, Shadow squalled again, shaking his head. "Mama down there? Shadow help mama! Save mama! No want mama hurt!" Shadow sprang off the ledge, diving head-first into the water and trying to swim around. The fluffy Pokémon couldn't swim quite right, and he bobbed back up like a cork. He thrashed and splashed, floundering around in an awkward dog-paddle. All the while, he kept shouting "Mama!" as he clumsily swam in circles.

Gloria chuckled again and looked back at Sarah. "I better help Shadow before he drowns himself or something." She tucked Luxray's Pokéball into her top and jumped in after Shadow. She had no trouble treading water and scooping up Shadow as she came to the edge of the tunnel. Contrary to her earlier lie, Gloria was actually a very talented swimmer, mostly thanks to her tail. "Ready, boy? We're gonna go down that tunnel."

Shadow blinked and stared down. He seemed unsure about this. "Cave? How big?"

Gloria shook her head. "I dunno, but I need to find Amber and Leo. I'm worried about them. Take a big breath, Shadow. Here we go!" As Shadow took in a big breath, Gloria did the same and nimbly dove into the tunnel. She decided to use her tail to gain more speed and steer with her legs. That helped her move even faster. Normal swimming would usually suffice, but she knew she needed to go as fast as she was able: she could see the tunnel was longer than she thought. It twisted and spiraled about, and many ordinary swimmers would have been slowed down by the turns. Gloria was glad that she could swim as fast as some water Pokémon, but as she swam the tunnel's length, she begun to wonder if going down here was such a good idea. She was starting to run out of air quite quickly. That was her one weakness when swimming fast, and Gloria was starting to regret her decision to do that. Gloria had to press on; turning back now was not an option. Just in time, she saw a light from above and surged for it. Her head burst from the water, and she gasped as she lunged for the edge of the opening. She pushed a panting Shadow on the stone ledge as she caught her breath on its side.

"Mama!" Gloria saw Shadow rush up to Amber, almost bowling Leo over as he leaped up and licked Amber's face.

"Shadow?! How on earth...?" Amber looked back at the water, clearly only just now noticing Gloria's arrival.

Gloria hauled herself up as both Amber and Leo turned to her. "I'm glad I found you two. Are you guys okay?"

Leo sighed, looking slightly disappointed for some reason. "Yeah. We're fine...just fine." He shook his head, the displeasure disappearing as quickly as it came. "Are Sarah and Shawn coming here too?"

"Shawn went to look for an alternate route down here. Sarah's helping him. I came down because I'm the fastest swimmer." Gloria started looking around at her surroundings. It was foggy in here, and condensation dripped rhythmically from stalagmites above. "Wow...You guys are lucky you wound up here huh?"

Amber nodded. "Yeah. It looks like it continues some ways down, but it's too dark and we left our Pokémon up there..."

"No worries. I came prepared." Gloria pulled Luxray's Pokéball out of her bikini top and released Luxray.

Leo raised an eyebrow at her. "How about that. Nothing but her clothes and she still manages to stash stuff away. You're such a Patrat."

Gloria gave Leo a look. She wasn't sure if he was poking fun at her or not, but she was in no mood for joking around. "What's that supposed to mean?!" She growled, lashing her tail, "That's a fine thank-you!"

"Uh, nothing!" Leo sputtered, "I, that is, I, um, I meant that that's quite a talent you got for always having stuff on you." He turned away, scratching his head. "Yeesh, that could've gone better."

"Um, how about we get outta here, OK?" Amber cut in.

"Just watch that snark, Leo." Gloria shot back, turning to the tunnel. "Luxray, go use Flash!" Luxray's tail-tip lit up, and the tunnel became a bit more visible.

Gloria almost wished she still couldn't see. Luxray's Flash revealed that the they were not alone. There was a small, round machine sitting in the middle of the tunnel. The moment the light unveiled it, several green lights blinked to life. After a moment, silver sphere popped out four, spider-like legs and the machine "stood" up.

"**INTRUDER ALERT. ATTACK PROTOCOL INITIALIZED. THREAT LEVEL: HIGH. ACTION: DESTROY! DESTROY! DESTROY!" **The robot fired a bright laser, barely missing Gloria.

"Arceus! What the hell is this!?" Leo blurted, pulling Amber behind him as he glared at the thing.

Gloria thought fast. This machine was clearly designed to attack intruders. It was still just a machine, so electricity should work well on it, right? "Luxray! Spark!" Luxray shot forward, unleashing her electricity as she tackled the robot. The attack knocked it over, stranding it upside-down like a turtle. Its legs flailed and it whirred, clearly trying to right itself.

"Now! Let's get outta here!" Leo grabbed Amber's arm and shot off down the tunnel, and Gloria took off right behind them. They didn't get far before encountering a fork in the cavern path. Leo bolted to the right, and Gloria wound up turning left before she realized her mistake. She turned to head the other way when she heard Leo shouting and cursing. Gloria rushed ahead, catching up in moments. That was when she saw what Leo did. There were several dozen of the round robots in this corridor.

"What the hell is this!?" Leo blurted, "More of these robots?!"

Amber turned and ran the other way, screaming. Leo spun around and followed as Gloria brought up the rear. Amber took the left-hand path this time, and they rushed down the passage. Gloria could see light approaching. She smiled and happily emerged from the tunnel.

Her joy was quickly shot down when she saw what awaited outside. There were three people here. Or were they? The more Gloria looked at them, the less human they seemed. They looked like robots with random parts still resembling a real human's. Gloria's eyes widened and she took a step back in shock.

"The hell?!" Leo's response spoke for everyone.

Gloria could see that Amber was stunned too. "Are they...people?!" Amber blurted, backing away.

"Sshh." Gloria raised a hand and whispered, 'Let's try and sneak around them..." No sooner than she said that when one of the things turned and raised a weapon at them.

"**INTRUDER ALERT!" **The machine blared, **"INTRUDER ALERT!"** Both of its "companions" turned and raised their guns, clearly bent on attack.


	17. Clash of Steel

Sarah was beginning to worry about Shawn's progress. Or, _lack_ of progress, as it were. As she sat by the spring, and transformed into a Houndour, she fought a growing anxiety. Sarah debated whether to go after Shawn. It wasn't that she didn't trust he could do it. Far from that. It was that he hadn't come back that worried her.

She sighed, staring at her reflection and swatting at the water's surface with a paw. She was bored, and that left her mulling over Shawn's delay. As she gazed into the water, she noticed something that didn't quite belong. A reddish trail of some sort was weaving back and forth in the water. As Sarah puzzled over this, she realized the trail was actually a reflection from the sky above. Sarah's gaze shot up and her lips rose in a snarl. Was this another attack?!

No.

As she looked up in the sky, she saw a small Pokémon flying about. Sarah's expression changed from anger to surprise in a moment. It was Victini again. No sooner did Sarah realize that than Victini changed course. Its patterns spelled out more letters: "OMEOVERHERE" Victini swooped down in a flame, making Sarah duck. The fiery Pokémon blazed down the canyon path, leaving a trail of smoke and embers behind it as it took an abrupt turn to the right and out of sight.

Sarah lowered her ears, this time in concern. She was not entirely sure what Victini was trying to say. Something..."OVER HERE"? That was her best, and only guess. The message seemed somewhat incomplete, but Victini had flown off before Sarah even had the chance to speak. Sarah debated again what to do. Victini seemed to be telling her to follow it, but Sarah was loathe to leave here. She told both Shawn and Gloria that she'd be right there. Leaving now was not an option.

A faint scream made her ears shoot up. It came from the direction Victini flew towards. She instantly recognized it as Amber's voice.

She now knew what she needed to do. Howling out a warning, Sarah rushed off down the path, searching for the source of the screaming. As she bounded through the rocks, her tail lashed angrily.

_This better not be Silicon's work again!_

* * *

Amber was trapped. Stuck between these human-like robots and the round ones back in the cave, she even was more afraid than before. She stood shock-still, staring ahead at the steel menaces before her. Their pieced-together mix of human and metal parts and cold, menacing glares horrified Amber to no end. Was _this_ Silicon's plan for her?!

Amber's fears intensified as one robot raised an arm at her. It was not an "arm" like hers, but had a large pistol on the end where a hand should be. She only just had the time to realize that when the machine shouted out "**INTRUDER ALERT!"** At its call, the other two robots slowly turned, raising their guns at them.

Gloria spun around, diving back into the cave just as the nearest robot fired its gun. The shot struck, hitting her on her tail. She cried out, scrambled back to her feet, and charged headlong behind a bend in the cave wall. Amber's eyes grew wide and she screamed again.

_It shot Gloria!_

_It actually just shot her!_

Amber was too terrified to move. Leo grabbed Amber's arm and rushed behind Gloria, yanking Amber back as the three machines slowly made their way toward the cave. Amber saw Gloria holding her tail and gritting her teeth in pain.

"Gloria! You're hurt!" Amber tried to go to Gloria's side, but she held out a hand to stop her.

"It's...nothing. A scratch." Gloria said through clenched teeth. Though she held her injury tightly, Amber could see blood seeping out from between her fingers and dripping down her feathers. It was obvious from the grimace on her face that Gloria was in a lot pain.

"Something's up." Leo said, peering out from the wall carefully, "Those things aren't chasing us...?"

Good point. Now that he mentioned it, it was weird. Why didn't those things come after them? As she considered that, Amber heard sounds from behind. It sounded like the scratching of metal on stone. She turned around to investigate.

One of the round, spider-like robots from earlier had caught up! It was clearly the one Luxray attacked earlier, and the once shiny surface was pockmarked with patches where her lightning had burned it. The robot was still wielding its laser and it was pointed straight at Gloria. She couldn't have seen it; she was still looking back at the cave entrance. Amber realized she was the only one who could act in time. She picked up a rock and threw it with all her might at the robot.

"Go away!" She shouted, hoping to draw it away from Gloria, "Beat it!" Her tactic worked, to a degree. The rock bounced off the robot with a clang, and the "spider" froze in place for a moment. Then, the machine turned its weapon to Amber. She realized too late that this could be a bad idea. She was pinned between the wall and the "spider" with nowhere to run. It raised its gun, emitting a loud "**DESTROY! DESTROY!"** Acting on instinct, Amber did the only thing she could. She ran forward at full-speed, hoping to throw off its aim.

"Amber! NO!" Amber heard Leo shouting behind her. She looked back and saw Leo staring back at her, wide-eyed in intense horror. Amber had never seen that kind of look on his face before. She was herself shocked at his reaction, and Amber tripped on a stalagmite in her distraction. She fell down on a large rock, winding her momentarily. She shook her head, looking up in a daze. The "spider had aimed its laser right in her face, those green lights flickering like emotionless eyes. There was no way she could evade it this time. Amber screamed again, covering her face and bracing for the shot.

A roar that couldn't have come from any machine caught her by surprise. This, followed by the crunching squeal of metal made Amber lower her arms. What she saw was nearly as frightening as the robot. Shadow was glowing again. He had picked up the "spider" with his black energy and was bashing the robot repeatedly on the walls. Only when it stopped moving did Shadow finally throw the thing down the tunnel.

"NO _HURT_ _**MAMA!**_" He roared in a bellowing voice. Then, Shadow turned around, baring his fangs at the three humanoid robots at the entrance. His eyes flashed violet, and the Absol hissed.

"**DESTROY ALL INTRUDERS! DESTROY!"** The nearest robot fired its gun directly at Shadow, who bull-rushed the offending thing. Amber saw a violet barrier form in front of Shadow, and the bullet meant for him stopped in place. It froze there for several seconds before dropping harmlessly to the floor. Shadow quickly "caught" seven other shots from the other robots in the same way as he bolted into the mouth of the cave.

Amber was stunned. It looked like Shadow had flown into a rage again! Amber took the chance to scramble to her feet. "Shadow!" She called, hoping the Absol could hear her.

Shadow turned his head to her, that black aura forming a hazy cloud around his entire body. "Shadow help mama. Use special power. No hurt mama! No hurt mama friends!" Shadow's eyes narrowed and he turned back to the robots."Shadow hurt bad thing! Bad thing no hurt mama!" Shadow lashed out with the black tendril again, snagging one machine by a leg. He slammed it into the other two with alarming force, crushing all three into a pile. Shadow continued to hiss and glare at the heap of motionless parts for several long, tense moments, flicking that lash of energy to and fro like a whip.

Amber could only stare in stunned surprise. That was twice now she'd seen Shadow's strange power come out. Each time, he seemed to fly into an uncharacteristic fury. Amber wasn't sure she knew what to make of it. It was such an unreal sight, and she was almost as scared of Shadow in that state as the robots.

"Amber you IDIOT!" Leo's shout snapped Amber out of her stupor. He marched over to where she was still laying. He scowled down at her and yanked her up roughly. "What the hell were you thinking?!"

"Leo..." Amber bit her lip. She realized she must have worried him when she charged the round robot earlier. "I...I was so afraid... I didn't think-"

"Damn straight you didn't think!" Leo cut her off, "You scared the hell out of me!"

Amber lowered her head. In hindsight, that _was_ pretty reckless. At the time, she didn't see another option. Besides, that thing was about to shoot her...! She bit her lip, trying to hold back tears as a feeling of guilt overwhelmed her. "I'm sorry everyone..." Her words were quiet. The last thing she wanted was to make her friends angry, yet somehow she'd managed to do just that.

Amber felt a hand on her shoulder. "Amber." She looked up. Leo was looking at her with a rather upset look on his face. "I'm sorry too. I was just scared that you were gonna get shot!"

"Bad Leo! No make mama cry!"

Amber cast a look in Shadow's direction. It looked like he'd settled down again, and he trotted back over to her side. A scowl was plastered on his face, but it wasn't the same vicious-looking snarl he'd been wearing earlier. It was a defensive sort of glare, and Amber couldn't help smiling at his cute little display. It was easy to forget that this silly, naïve Pokémon could be the same one who harbored such scary powers! She smiled, crouching and and hugging Shadow, and she felt him relax a bit in her embrace.

"It's okay, boy. Leo was just scared. Thanks for saving us again."

"No thank Shadow. Shadow do right thing. Mama happy, Shadow happy! All happy?"

"Not really..." Gloria grunted.

Amber looked up in a start. She'd nearly forgotten about Gloria's injury! She stood up and came over to Gloria, this time ignoring her protests as she looked her over. She seemed to have been hit midway up the length of her tail. With Gloria clenching it so tightly, Amber couldn't tell if it was serious. "Is it bad?"

Gloria groaned a little. "I think it just hit my tail. I don't think it got any bones. I'm fine..."

"You still need to get that treated!" Said Leo, his tone becoming more concerned, "You're bleeding a lot!"

Gloria smiled awkwardly at him. "And what kind of doctor would I see, hm? A human one, or a Pokémon one?" She chuckled at the irony, even as she grimaced through the pain.

The sound of paws on gravel caught Amber's attention. She looked back to the cave entrance to find a Houndour racing towards them. Amber shook her head angrily. This was a bad time to get ambushed! With Gloria wounded and Leo without his Pokémon, that left Amber to confront the incoming dog. Shadow saw the Houndour too, and he immediately fell back to Amber's side. Shadow lowered his head, swinging his horn and glaring at the dog. That was when it suddenly stopped in its tracks and yelped.

"No, stop! It's me!"

Amber was surprised yet again. It sounded like that was Sarah's voice. "Sarah?! Is that you?"

The Houndour nodded. "Yeah. I came as fast as I could when I heard screaming. Is everyone alright?!"

"No." Leo shook his head, grabbing Gloria's shoulder and leading her out to the exit of the cave as Amber followed close behind. "Gloria's been shot!"

"What?!" The Houndour transformed back into Sarah in a flash of blue light. Sarah raced to Gloria's side. "Where? Is it serious?!"

"Calm down everyone..." Gloria said with a pained smile, "It's just my tail."

"Let me see." Sarah grabbed Gloria's tail as she released her grip a little. Amber cringed as she saw just how the bullet had hit. It was no glancing blow, and Sarah was equally concerned. "Gloria! That's a deep wound!"

Gloria shot her a look. "No it's not. Stop scaring everyone!"

"Don't be so hard-headed." Sarah looked back at Amber and Leo. "Let's get back to the spring. I'm sure one of us has something..." "I have bandages in my purse." Gloria replied with a smile. "I'm sure if I just put some pressure on it it'll be fine."

"Ha! Leave it to Gloria to be so well-prepared!" Sarah smiled back at a chuckling Gloria.

"Are you sure that's gonna be enough?" Amber was concerned for Gloria. Amber never had to deal with a gunshot injury before! It was both impressive and worrisome that she was taking being shot so well, and Amber had to give the younger girl credit for her toughness. As she made her way back down the path, Amber noticed the smell of smoke in the air. As she looked about, she realized that it was coming from above. Amber looked up just in time to see a trail of fire leading off to the northwest. As Amber followed her friends, she wondered if that could be Victini again.

Just what was it trying to tell them?


	18. The Stranger

AJ was finding the tension in the room more than a bit awkward. Cheren was pacing back and forth in the lobby of the Pokémon Center. He seemed to be having an increasingly angry argument with someone on his Xtransceiver, and AJ did _not_ want to get in his way. Melody was sitting across the table from AJ, staring down and swinging her feet. Though she'd changed out of the smock she was wearing earlier, she still seemed downcast. Not that AJ could blame her. She had been through a rough day.

Melody was now wearing the new outfit AJ helped her buy: a yellow t-shirt with a Pikachu's grinning face on it, a light blue short skirt, and green sandals. She was still wearing the big bow he saw her wear earlier, now adjusted on the right side of her head where it now held her long bangs out of her face. AJ wanted to brighten her mood, but AJ had no idea what he could say to her as the depressed girl stared at the tabletop. He was never that comfortable around girls his age, and her awkward sadness only made him feel clumsy. Eeveen, meanwhile, seemed oblivious to the tension. He was crouched on the floor by AJ's table. He had his Pokémon out and he was stroking the two "Eeveelutions".

"I'm sorry girls, I'm so sorry." The Espeon, Solaris, and the shiny Umbreon, Lunaria, both looked at their trainer with lowered ears and rather cross expressions. He looked between the two, smiling awkwardly, "Please forgive me. I know you hate Pokéballs. It was an emergency." Lunaria seemed satisfied and she smiled at him, but Solaris still seemed peeved. She glared back at Eeveen and squeaked something at him. "Don't say things like that! Of course I love you! Now come here, you two!" Eeveen threw an arm around each Pokémon, pulling them into a big hug.

AJ couldn't help but grin. Eeveen's sincerity was matched only by his kindness, and AJ found it amusing how open and honest he was with his Pokémon. He noticed that Melody was watching the scene too, smiling a little for the first time since he'd rescued her.

"He really loves his Pokémon doesn't he?" Melody commented.

"He was raised by those two," AJ replied, "He thinks of them like his parents. Neither of them like Pokéballs much though. They tend to pout when he has to put them away."

Melody's smile broadened. She looked back up at AJ, brushing a stray lock of hair out of her face. "Do you have a favorite Pokémon, AJ?"

AJ simply nodded and grinned. AJ had three Pokémon: a female Marowak named Ivory with an aggressive disposition, a male Gabite called Jaws with a naïve and rather silly personality, and his Grotle, Thorn. Now, Thorn had a cool and smart attitude. Though he could be a little cocky, the turtle was easily AJ's most trusted Pokémon. Back when he first set out to join Team Night, all AJ had was Thorn, as a Turtwig. He was now evolved, but his change only made AJ grow even closer to Thorn. AJ was pretty proud of Thorn's talents too. He was a bit more clever than most Grotles, and AJ felt like the turtle could pretty much read his mind sometimes. One of AJ's favorite comforts was talking to Thorn. AJ was not entirely sure the Pokémon could understand him, but AJ wouldn't have traded any of his chats for the world. AJ most _definitely_ had a favorite Pokémon.

"I sure do!" His hand went to Thorn's Pokéball, "My Grotle, Thorn, and I are practically brothers!" He released the turtle, and Thorn gave Melody a judging stare. "How about you? Do you have a partner, Melly?"

Melody's face fell. "I used to. My Zoura. Those Silicon people took her from me back there."

"Oh..." AJ bit his lip. He didn't mean to make her sad again. "I'm sorry. If I knew they stole Pokémon from you, I'd have looked for them."

Melody shook her head. "I don't think she's there anymore. They said they were taking her to 'the main facility', wherever that is."

"So, you don't have any other Pokémon?"

Melody shook her head, staring down at the table again. "No. Zoura used to get jealous. She'd turn into other Pokémon I saw and try to get me to look at her instead."

AJ chuckled a little. "Sounds like you spoiled her."

Melody sighed sadly. "I don't think she was spoiled so much as just clingy. Very, _very _clingy." Melody wiped at an eye, clearly trying to hide tears. "I miss Zoura so much..."

AJ stood up. He had an idea how to help. "Hey, Melly. I have an idea." Melody didn't respond. She just stared down at the table, turning her head away from him slightly. "I'll let you borrow a Pokémon from me until we find Zoura." Thorn didn't seem too pleased, and he looked up at AJ with a scowl. AJ chuckled at the Pokémon, scratching him behind the head. "No, no, silly. I didn't mean you. I meant Jaws or Ivory." The Grotle continued to glare, clearly not amused in the least.

"Really?" Melody looked up. She had a somewhat confused look on her face, as if AJ just asked if she could fly.

"Sure!" AJ said cheerfully. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his other two Pokémon. He set both balls down in front of Melody. "The one on the right's my Gabite, Jaws. He's a dragon, so of course he's kinda proud, but he's really funny too. I think I've seen Slowpokes smarter than that silly Pokémon. He's really sweet though, and just _loves _to snuggle."

Melody looked at Jaws' ball, then back at AJ with a frown. "I don't know...he sounds kinda...high-maintenance."

"Then maybe Ivory's better. She's a Marowak. You gotta watch out though. She's got a temper, and a really combative side. It's up to you."

Melody stared at both balls for a while, seeming to mull it over. Then, she picked up Ivory's ball. "I've never seen a Marowak before. May I?"

"Go for it." AJ said with a smile. Melody let the Pokémon inside out.

The tan Pokémon looked sharply up at Melody, her beady, red eyes gleaming at her from inside the white skull. "Wak?" Ivory seemed to be sizing up Melody.

Melody blinked and smiled. "She's actually pretty cute. I like her." Melody reached down to Ivory, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Hey there. I'm Mel-"

"Waaak!" Ivory swiped at Melody without warning, smacking her on the leg with her club.

"Ouch!" Melody shot up and took several steps back. "That hurt!"

"Ivory! Bad girl! You know better than to hit people!" AJ scolded her as he stepped between Ivory and Melody. "Be nice."

"I don't think Ivory likes me..." Melody frowned and sighed.

Ivory climbed up on Melody's now empty chair, pushing AJ aside as she scrambled up. Ivory stared Melody in the face, tapping the bone in one hand. "Wak, wak! Marowak!" Melody took a step back, looking uncomfortable at the Marowak's display.

"She's trying to challenge you." Eeveen said, standing up from the floor at last. "She seems to think you're a rival."

"Me? Her rival? That's silly." Melody smiled again, looking back to the upset Bone Keeper Pokémon. "I like that attitude. What a little pistol!"

"You...like that?" AJ was puzzled. He thought for sure Melody would go for Jaws' more laid-back style. Even he had trouble with Ivory's bellicose and short-tempered nature. "If you really want, I'll let you borrow her. Just watch your back. She likes to hit people."

"I noticed." Melody turned to Ivory again. "Heya, Ivory. I'm Melody. I'm gonna be your trainer for a while." She extended a hand to the Pokémon. "Can we be friends?"

"Maro?" Ivory stared at her outstretched hand for a moment. Then, with a big grin on her face, she smacked Melody's palm with her bone club.

"Ow!" Melody pulled back, rubbing her hand and shooting a look at AJ. "What's _her_ problem?!"

"I don't think Ivory understands what a handshake is. She thought you were challenging her again." Eeveen chuckled, coming up alongside Melody. "She doesn't see you as a trainer just yet. What she sees is a bigger and older competing female. She thinks she needs to defeat you to show her strength to you."

"Oh yeah?" AJ gave Eeveen a look. "And how are we supposed to get through to Ivory!? I can't have her hitting Melody!" AJ shook his head and sighed. Maybe Ivory wasn't a good choice for her after all. "I'm sorry, Melly. This is my fault."

"It's okay. I understand. I'm a newcomer, and she doesn't trust me just yet. I just need to show her that I'm someone she can rely on." Melody recalled Ivory and nodded, giving AJ a warm smile. "Thank you, AJ. I'm glad you let me borrow her."

"Hey, it's the least I can do. I'm happy that you're happy."

Cheren joined them just then. He sighed irritably and came up to AJ. "I just contacted the Elite Four about Silicon. You're never gonna believe this." Cheren glared down at his Xtransceiver. "They aren't going to send us any backup! We're on our own..."

"What!" AJ was taken aback, his cheerful mood gone in a flash. It didn't make any sense why they'd refuse to send help, especially after the recent kidnappings. "Why?! What's the problem?"

Cheren shook his head and sighed angrily. "They say there's not enough evidence to prove that these guys are a growing threat." Cheren shoved the Xtransceiver into his pocket and scowled. "Ever since Team Plasma was defeated again two years ago, those guys have become just plain lazy! It's like they've forgotten what the price of ignoring trouble is...!" Cheren pounded a fist on the table. "I can't stand it!"

"What _will_ it take then?" Eeveen asked, "How do we prove it to the Elite Four?"

"I'll have to start with convincing the local Gym Leaders." Cheren said without hesitation.

"Okay, but maybe we need to regroup first." Eeveen offered. "Sarah and the others are still up north."

AJ drew out his Xtransceiver. "I'll call her. Maybe she's had better luck than us." AJ dialed up Sarah's number. He wasn't looking forward to telling his leader the bad news. At least he'd managed to rescue Melody, so it wasn't _all_ bad news. Still, he'd hoped raiding that base would've uncovered more clues.

Sarah appeared on the phone as she picked it up. "Hello? Oh, hi AJ!" AJ was confused. For some odd reason, Sarah was wearing a blue swimsuit. "What's new?"

"Sarah..." AJ blushed a little. He wasn't expecting to see Sarah like this! "What in the world are you doing in a swimsuit?"

"Having a barbecue." Sarah chuckled, "Nah, Amber found a hot spring and we decided to relax for a bit."

AJ was more than a little baffled. "Uh...okay? I was going to ask if you guys made any progress. I guess you didn't, huh."

Sarah's smile faded quickly. "Actually, we found a stash of Silicon's robots. One of them shot Gloria."

"What?!" AJ almost dropped his phone, horrified. Even though he'd been a Team Night member for three years, he still hated times like this. "I-is it serious?! Is she okay?"

"She was hit once in the tail. It's not too serious. Amber's bandaging her up. We'll stay the night here, then we're going further north after Victini."

AJ bit his lip. "Shouldn't you guys get her some help?"

Sarah chuckled at him. "You know how stubborn she can be sometimes. It was all I could do to convince her to rest here tonight."

"Hey!" AJ heard Gloria's voice shout. "I still can hear you!"

"I wouldn't have to say that if you'd quit being such a tough cookie!" Sarah said over her shoulder, grinning.

AJ couldn't help smiling. "At least she's okay. Do you want us to head up there too? We can be there by tomorrow afternoon if we set out in the morning."

"Come if you want, but we'll be just fine. Shawn finally came back just a few minutes ago. We're about to set up camp."

"I'm glad you guys are safe. "AJ said. "Our day wasn't much better.."

"Huh? What makes you say that?" Sarah's expression became serious.

AJ did his best to explain today's events to her. When he told her about the research note, Sarah's face darkened and she seemed angry for some reason.

"Were you able to copy the notes?" Sarah asked.

AJ shook his head. "No. It looked like the thing was kinda messed up anyway." As he recalled the strange research memo, he found himself pondering its meaning again. The note mentioned a "primary base" somewhere. That meant that Silicon had to be more active than they thought...

"You said they were conducting experiments to 'eliminate free will'..."Sarah scowled. "So _that's_ what they want?"

"I dunno." AJ scratched his head. "Come to think of it, one goon, a girl called Agate, said 'they don't even have all the facts.' I think they might be trying to trick us."

"Maybe. We need to be careful what we assume about them."

"And they have another base. The notes said as much."

"We should keep an eye out for it then."

AJ smiled. "Oh yeah. We managed to rescue one of the kidnapped trainers!"

Sarah's expression brightened. "You did? That's great! Good work!"

"Yeah!" AJ beamed. "She's right here. I'm going to see her off tomorrow."

"You'll _what_ now?" Melody cut in.

AJ was caught off-guard by her sudden appearance. "Melly, we're doing some things that are probably gonna be dangerous. I don't feel right getting a civilian involved."

"Those Silicon Movement creeps have my Zoura and Ian!" Melody shouted, "I won't stop until I find them!" Melody snatched the phone. "Is that your boss? Lemme talk to her."

"Hey!" AJ protested, making a grab at his phone.

"Hello?" He heard Sarah ask. "Who's this?"

"That's Melody. She's the girl we rescued earlier." AJ replied, pushing in over Melody's shoulder.

"Well Melody, it's good to meet you. What's the problem?"

"The problem? The Silicon Movement took my Zoura and kidnapped my brother! I want to find them both and make Silicon pay!" Melody's anger was obvious, and AJ took a step back in surprise. He didn't expect Melody to have this kind of temper!

"I understand your feelings, but the Silicon Movement's very dangerous."

"Yeah, tell me about it." Melody sighed, "Look, I just want to find my Pokémon and my brother. Is that such a problem?!"

"No, but you need to understand. These people are violent and very persistent. I have to insist you stay with AJ and Eeveen if you want to pursue this."

"That's fine by me!" Melody's good mood seemed to have returned.

"Great! Hear that, AJ?"

"Yeah, I heard loud and clear." AJ nodded. So long as Melody didn't try to start by herself, he didn't mind too much. She didn't have any Pokémon besides that missing Zoura, and he was worried that she might do something unexpected. "Eeveen?"

"I heard too. Welcome aboard, Melody." Eeveen smiled at her. "I'm sure your brother and Zoura are just fine. We'll find them safe and sound, I'm sure of it."

Melody nodded. "I hope so."

AJ grabbed his phone back from Melody. "Well, we better turn in for the night. We've got a long walk to Virbank tomorrow."

"Virbank? Why are you going all the way there?"

"Cheren called the Elite Four for backup, but they want more evidence before they'll pursue Silicon. Cheren wants to get the help of the local Gym Leaders."

"Okay, I see. Well, good night. You guys be careful, okay?"

"You too, Sarah. Good night." AJ hung up the Xtransceiver.

"I couldn't help overhearing the conversation. Sounds like the others had a rough time." Cheren commented.

"Yeah." AJ sighed. "I'm worried about them, especially Gloria. She was shot by one of the robots. It's not a bad injury, but still..."

"Let's go get some sleep. We have a lot to do tomorrow." Eeveen yawned. As AJ followed him outside and to the hotel, AJ knew he had a long way to go from here. For some reason, in spite of all the encouragement, he found himself uneasy.

He had the strangest feeling that he was being watched.

As AJ reached the hotel doors, Eeveen suddenly put an arm in front of AJ. "Wait. Did you see that?"

"What?" Melody pushed Eeveen aside. "Quit overreacting. Let's just get some sleep." No sooner than she said that when AJ saw what Eeveen was talking about.

A big, red eye was staring back at them from the other side of the window, its baleful glare fixed on the three of them.


	19. Tomb of Ice

Leo was too busy staving off a rotten mood to sleep. Even though they'd chosen a grotto a good hour's walk away from that dangerous cavern, Leo still felt on edge. It had to be at least midnight, and the foggy night made him feel vulnerable and unprotected. Leo was pretty sure he was the only one still awake at this late hour, and he simply couldn't relax. Even the usually energetic Flare was curled up at his side, soundly asleep by the fire. He sighed and sat up again from his sleeping bag, trying to get his mind off of what happened today. He was starting to dread the morning. It felt like only more bad news was ahead. That was all that seemed to come his way lately, and he was rather tired of all the attacks and traps.

"You're up too, huh?"

Leo was startled for a moment by the sudden comment from Amber. He could see her looking at him with a soft grin from her place next to his. Leo couldn't help smiling back. Something about her carefree smile made him feel calmer and somewhat happier, even for a moment.

"Can't sleep a wink. I've got a lot on my mind..."

"Me too." Amber sat up herself, stretching out as she rose from her sleeping bag. "I'm scared those robots are gonna come back..."

"I doubt they will." Leo replied, even though he wasn't sure he believed it himself. The robots were just one more problem in an ever-growing list of troubles that plagued him. He sighed and propped his head up in his hands, resting his elbows on his knees. Who was he kidding? He was in a funk, and thinking about the robots again just soured his mood. Leo scowled into the fire and shook his head in frustration.

"Leo, I have something I've been meaning to say. I just hope you'll listen."

Leo looked up at Amber. "Well? Say it if you're gonna."

She looked down at her lap, lowering her head. "I've been thinking...maybe I haven't been considerate of your feelings lately." He was taken aback. What made Amber say something like that all of a sudden? Leo opened his mouth to protest when Amber continued, "Earlier, when I rushed that round robot thing, you told me I scared you." Amber's braid was out, and her hair was messily slung over her shoulder, giving her a surprisingly more mature look. She started toying with a stray strand of hair and looked back at him. Leo was surprised to see a serious expression on her face. "I feel like such an idiot. If I were only thinking straight..."

"You weren't the only one who wasn't rational. I acted out. I didn't mean to make you so upset." Leo scratched his head, recalling how he snapped at her. That was definitely _not_ a moment he was proud of, and reflecting on it made him feel rather embarrassed at himself.

Amber sighed. "I need to stop being so irresponsible. Gloria got hurt because of me and-"

"That's enough." Leo cut her off abruptly, earning a surprised stare, "There's no way any of us could've known what was going to happen. It's not your fault, so stop being whiny already!"

Amber paused for several long moments, staring down again. Leo felt more than a little stupid. Did he accidentally offend her? "Er, sorry. That came out harsh, huh?"

To his relief, Amber smiled at him again. "That's alright. It's true. I need to stop being such a victim." Amber's good cheer seemed to return, and she nodded once. "Thanks, Leo. I needed that."

"Sure. Glad I could help." Leo was glad to see her bounce back. Even though she had the tendency to be kind of childish, he couldn't help but admire her ability to be so cheerful.

Leo was caught off-guard when she leaned over and threw an arm around him. He blinked again and looked back her way. She met his uncertain gaze with her usual cordial gleam,. "I'm so glad you're here, Leo."

"M-me too." Leo found himself at a loss for words. At least Amber didn't seem to mind his awkwardness. Leo felt Amber relax and lean down on his shoulder. She looked up at him, meeting his eyes.

"Thanks for everything, Leo. I feel a lot better now."

"...Sure." Leo felt his face get red. He felt more awkward than ever now, especially since he never got to hear Amber's answer when he asked if she wanted to be his girlfriend. He sat there for a while, debating whether to bring up the subject again. After several minutes of mental dispute, he made up his mind to try again. He made ask her once again, only to find that Amber had fallen asleep on his shoulder. Leo found himself in an awkward position, literally and figuratively. He sighed, feeling a bit at a loss.

He really couldn't catch a break today either.

* * *

"You've got to be kidding me." Leo stared incredulously ahead at the obstacle before him. He wished he never had to see another cave again. After the incident with the robots last night, the last thing he wanted to do was go inside yet another one. There was no other way out of the canyon, though they _could_ go back and try to find another way. That option was looking better and better to him This cavern seemed much larger than the one by the hot springs and Leo couldn't see any sign of the end.

"I guess I could fly us out," Gloria commented. "Just give me a second..."

"Wait." Sarah put a hand out to stop Gloria, "We have no idea about Silicon's presence here. If we fly, it might get their attention."

"I vote cave. Let's go in the cave." Shawn walked off ahead, already making his way into the cavern, "I bet whatever Victini wanted to show us is in here."

"Then let's get some light in here. " Leo pulled his flashlight out and turned it on, aiming its light down the mouth of the cave. The light revealed no obvious sign of trouble, just Shawn getting further ahead. Leo sighed and looked down at Flare. She was lagging behind, looking this way and that.

"Flare, stay close. I don't like this place one bit."Leo said, reluctantly following Shawn through the cave. "Let's catch up with him." As Leo, Sarah, Shawn, Gloria, and Amber all made their way deeper through the cavern, Leo noticed the temperature beginning to drop. Leo was starting to see frost on the rocks, and the air coming from inside seemed much colder.

"Is it just me or is this place getting icy?" Shawn said over his shoulder, a cloud of vapor forming as he spoke.

"It's definitely colder here." Sarah commented back. "We must be getting deeper inside."

"I wish I'd dressed warmer..." Amber pulled her jacket closer around her.

"Well, you aren't the one stuck wearing a dress!" Gloria grumbled back.

Leo shook his head and walked on. As he continued down the cavern, he noticed the floor was starting to ice over where he walked, and fast. Leo only had the time to realize that this wasn't natural when a chill gust of wind blew from further ahead. Mixed in with the whistle of the wind through the cave, he heard a strange cry. It almost sounded like...groaning?

"Is someone here?" Shawn asked, "I can't see very well..."

Leo pulled his jacket closer and moved in front of Shawn. As he swept the flashlight around, he noticed that the cave ahead widened into a chamber. Inside the chamber, ice coated the walls, the floor, and the ceiling. Scattered around were several small pillars of cloudy ice. In the center of the chamber, the ice was much thicker, completely encasing a larger object in the middle. Leo's light wasn't quite strong enough to see what it was, simply that whatever it was was clearly frozen rock-solid. Was this the source of the cold?

"Whoa. This is kinda weird." Shawn commented, "Is this what Victini was showing us?"

"I doubt it." Gloria answered. "I'm not really interested in staying here. It's too cold here! Let's move on."

"Amber! What in the world are you doing?!" Sarah shouted. Leo spun around, looking over at Amber. She had carelessly wandered over to the icy object in the middle of the cave.

"Guys? I think something's in here..." Amber reached out and put a hand on the pillar. "I think it's stuck inside!"

"Don't touch that!" Sarah rushed over to Amber, yanking her back before Leo even had the chance to react.

"Amber, are you nuts?!" Gloria scolded, "You have no idea what's-"

"Look at that thing!" Amber pointed at the icy thing again, "I swear, there's something frozen inside there!"

"I wonder..." Leo came a few steps closer to the ice. He shone his flashlight at the thing, wondering what Amber could be talking about. What he saw made his eyes go wide, and he nearly dropped his flashlight. Inside the ice pillar, there was a small, orange Pokémon frozen stiff. The Pokémon appeared to be a Trapinch, its jaws spread wide as if it were lunging for a bite. Leo took several steps back, shaking his head in disbelief. It was then that he noticed what the smaller icy lumps were. They were smaller Pokémon, all in various states of frost. Leo found himself shivering in fear at the grim sight. What kind of place _was _this?!

"What the hell!?" Leo blurted, "These are frozen Pokémon!"

Sarah's face grew serious. "Guys? I recognize this stuff..."

"Huh?" Amber turned her way, "What do you mean you recognize it?"

"This looks like the kind of thing a Froslass does. Chill, my Froslass does this sometimes..."

Leo was taken aback. Just one Pokémon did all this? He found this hard to believe."A Froslass did this? It looks kinda extreme. Don't you think there's a lot of Pokémon here for just one Froslass...?"

"Well, I know Chill likes to put her frozen prey on display like statues. This looks like something she'd do. I don't quite know if a Froslass did _all_ the work though. There's a lot of frozen Pokémon here..."

"Here's what bugs me." Gloria scratched her head. "If this _is_ a Froslass' work, then either it's an escaped Pokémon or someone purposely put it here. Froslass aren't native to Unova."

"Let's be careful, everyone." Shawn nervously backed away from the frozen Trapinch. "We better go before the Pokémon that did this shows up."

Leo shook his head again. Something about this place seriously put him on edge. He wasn't sure if it was because of all the dead Pokémon frozen around him, or knowing that their killer was probably still here. Either way, Leo did _not_ want to meet the culprit. As he backed up from the grisly sight, he couldn't shake the feeling that something else was here.

Something very close.

As he tried to ignore his growing anxiety, another moaning cry rumbled through the caves. Leo shuddered unconsciously. Was he the only one who heard that strange noise?

No.

Flare's reaction seemed to confirm his unease. Her fur was on end and she bared her teeth in a snarl. Gloria, Amber, and Sarah seemed upset too; they kept looking around with frightened looks.

"Please tell me I'm imagining that creepy groaning..." Gloria shuddered and grabbed her shoulders.

"Then your imagination's contagious!" Sarah changed form into a Glaceon. She started weaving here and there, her nose to the ground. "I don't like it! Where's it coming from...?!"

Just then, a loud crackle echoed through the cave. Before Gloria could evade it, the floor started to crumble away under her feet! Leo realized he was the only one who could act in time. He reacted instinctively, lunging out to grab her away. He missed, landing hard on the ice nearby and tumbling down the crevasse along with Gloria. He only had the time to briefly panic before landing on the ground below.

Leo laid there, momentarily winded from the fall. "Ugh...ouch."

"Ow, ow, ow..." He heard Shawn groan. "I think I busted my butt..."

"I'm okay..." Leo heard Gloria sigh. "I landed somewhere soft."

Lucky her. Leo grunted, opened his eyes, and tried to sit up. His annoyance was quickly replaced with bewilderment. He couldn't get up, and he couldn't see. Something was on his face and smothering him! Leo reached up and tried to push the thing off. His confusion deepened when his hands met something warm and...cloth-covered? He grabbed hold and pushed with both hands.

"Eeeyah! You pervert!" Gloria screamed. Leo realized with a start just what happened. Somehow, Gloria wound up landing on his face. He was grabbing her butt! The offended girl shot to her feet, leaving a red-faced Leo laying on the ground. "How dare you!"

"Yeek! Sorry!" Leo only barely rolled away from a slap, "I didn't realize that was you!" Shawn burst out laughing like a nut. Leo shot the giggling man a look. "What the hell's so funny?!"

"You are! What a pair!" Shawn was slapping a leg, bent over in mirth.

Gloria glared back at Shawn. "Ugh, you're no better than him!"

"I'm sorry already! I didn't know it was you!"

"Are you guys okay?!" Leo looked up at Sarah's voice. She and Amber were peering over the edge of the hole at them.

"I will be if Gloria doesn't kill me first," Leo groaned, "She landed right on my head..."

"Hang on guys! I'll jump down in a minute." To Leo's bewilderment, Amber crouched down and made to jump!

Sarah grabbed her by the jacket with her teeth and yanked her back. "Get away from there! What's wrong with you today!?" Sarah sighed. "Look, I know you're worried, but Shawn, Leo, and Gloria are okay." Sarah turned back to the hole, "Right?"

Shawn sighed and groaned. "I think I twisted my leg..."

"Can you walk?" Leo hoped Shawn wasn't too hurt.

Shawn got to his feet, grimacing a bit as he stood. "Yeah. I think it's just a sprain."

A loud growl made Leo look down. Flare was glaring at something ahead and her fur was on end. Leo picked up his flashlight and knelt down to her level. Flare looked back up at Leo. A snarl was pasted on her lips, and her eyes were narrowed. She stared back over, fixing her gaze on something further back. Leo stood back up, raising his flashlight.

What he saw made the frozen Pokémon from earlier seem mundane.

There was a large, dragon-like figure standing at the back of the room. It stood at least as tall as he was, upright like a human. Its frame was heavily-muscled, and it bore a series of dark blue spikes down its dark-blue, scaled back. A set of dark, leathery wings were folded around its body like a cloak, obscuring most of its body. Its tail, long and thick like a tree log, was wrapped about its two-toed talons. The creature's eyes, deep violet and intense, shone in the light like dark amethysts. The dragon was surrounded by a black, fog-like cloud that seemed to be boiling off its body like steam. This definitely was _not_ a Pokémon he'd ever seen before! His horror deepened when the thing unfurled its wings, revealing a body that seemed...incomplete?! Though that fog made its features unclear, what Leo _could_ see made him recoil and gasp in terror. Its torso and lower tail consisted of exposed, gray bones, and it seemed to be oozing some kind of vile fluid from its...wounds? It looked less like the dragon was injured and more like the dragon was simply desiccated and decayed. The fog-like stuff seemed to be generated from its core, and it was extremely dark where a normal creature's chest should be. The strange dragon loosed a strange moan; it was the same eerie cry he heard earlier. This had to be what was making that awful noise!

But what the hell did he just find?

"Kyaah! What's that?!" Shawn shouted.

"How should _I_ know?!" Leo spat back over a shoulder, "This can't be a zombie, right?!"

"Zombies aren't real, Leo. This has to be some kind of Pokémon!" Even the usually keen Gloria seemed at a loss: she didn't sound at all sure of her own declaration.

Leo could only stare at the zombie-like creature in revulsion. It lowered itself onto all fours and groaned yet again, this time, spewing a blue-violet ice-cloud as it roared. Before Leo could react, it whirled its tail around, nearly tripping him. Its tail attack would have easily broken his legs if he hadn't jumped back at the last moment. Gloria's and Shawn's screams told him that they were nearly hit as well.

"Damn! It's not gonna let us go, is it?!" Leo shook his head. This thing, whatever it was, clearly wanted to fight. He wasn't sure he could win.

Just how could he beat something so alien?


	20. Haunted

AJ was in no mood for yet _another_ fight. He was tired, and not looking forward to any more conflict tonight. His hand lowered to Jaws' Pokéball as he took a step towards the door. The red eye greeting him through the glass window did not even blink, instead it just glared back wrathfully.

"Ugh. What's that thing? It's creepy..." Melody backed up several steps, wrinkling her nose in dismay.

"It's probably just a ghost-type Pokémon." Eeveen stepped forward and pushed the door open. "Pokémon don't bother me. Not even ghost-types." Eeveen walked into the entryway of the hotel. "Come on guys. We should just ignore it."

"Ignore it?!" Melody shook her head, clearly upset with the suggestion, "How about _this_: we go somewhere else!" Melody crossed her arms and scowled at Eeveen. "I am _not_ going in there! Period!"

"Relax, will you!" Eeveen shook his head. "AJ, c'mere. Show that scaredy-cat there's nothing to worry about."

AJ bit his lip. He wasn't so sure about this. This _was_ the only hotel in a small town like Aspertia though. Still, he was liking Melody's idea much better the more he thought about it. That taunting look Eeveen was giving him though... AJ shook his head and sighed. Maybe he was over thinking it. It _was_ just a Pokémon, right? AJ followed Eeveen into the lobby, moving slowly in the dim light. The lobby seemed ordinary enough and that realization calmed him somewhat. It had to be much later than he thought; the reception desk was unattended. AJ looked back to Melody, casting a wary glance towards that sinister eye. Maybe he could see what it actually was...

It was gone.

There was no sign of that creepy eye or its owner anywhere. The Pokémon was gone. AJ shook his head and sighed in relief. How could he have been so unnerved by _that_, anyway? Maybe it belonged to the receptionist or something. He chuckled in relief and turned back to Melody. "Hey, Melly, it's gone. Come on in, I'm sleepy..."

Melody seemed unconvinced. "Oh, _really_?" She paused several moments, sighing when neither AJ nor Eeveen budged at her protest. AJ felt bad for her. He couldn't blame her for not wanting to stay here. He didn't want to stay in this creepy hotel either, for Mew's sake! He forced a smile, just as well to comfort his own nerves as to convince her.

Melody reluctantly walked into the lobby, drawing out Ivory's Pokéball. "You two seriously owe me. This place is gonna give me nightmares!"

"What, you scared of the dark?" Eeveen shrugged, "Don't worry about it. I got us rooms right next to each other. If you get spooked just-"

"Shut up!" Melody snapped, stamping a foot defiantly, "It's not like that! It's...ugh. Forget it, you weirdo! Where's the damn rooms at?!"

AJ scowled at Eeveen. He didn't appreciate Eeveen's attitude one bit, and he was going to let him know it in no small way. "Dammit, Eeveen! Why're you being so smug, huh?!" AJ scolded, waving a hand at Eeveen irritably, "Don't taunt Melly! She's had a rough time, so cut her some slack!"

Eeveen's head sunk and he kicked at the carpet. He resembled a whipped Houndour, and AJ felt a little bad seeing his hapless reaction. "I...I didn't mean it like that. Sorry. Don't get so mad, guys..." Eeveen held out three keys. "Um, here's the keys. Take your pick..."

Melody quickly snatched a key from Eeveen, still unrelenting in her glaring. "You're kind of a jerk. Now, good night!" At that last sentence, she stormed off down the hallway in a rage.

"This is why I don't get humans..." Eeveen sighed, extending his hand to AJ next. "Key?"

He took the key marked "314" and shrugged. "Let's both of us go get some sleep. I bet we'll all be in a better mood tomorrow."

Eeveen nodded. "Yeah. I'll be in...room...um..." He looked down at the one remaining key in his hand. "What room is this key to, anyway? I can't read this thing..."

AJ took the key from Eeveen and examined it. It was not any different from his own key and its tag said "313". "Follow me, Eeveen. It's gonna be right by my room."

As he made his way down the hallway, he couldn't help but notice how dimly-lit this place was. The light was kind of gloomy, and he noted that several of the hall-lights were completely dark. The black-brown walls seemed to suck up the light here, and the grimy, gray carpet was so threadbare that he felt the concrete base-floor beneath his shoes. AJ couldn't help but shiver a little. Was it just his imagination playing tricks on him, or did this place seem kind of drafty all of a sudden? He pulled his jacket closer to him and cast a glance at Eeveen, but he seemed oblivious to the ominous atmosphere. Lucky devil. AJ sorely wished he had Eeveen's blissfully absentminded attitude right now...

"Well, here's Room 314." AJ noted, sighing in dismay at the worn door. If its peeling, grimy paint and dirty-looking doorknob was any hint, the room behind those doors would be equally disappointing. Great. He certainly wasn't looking forward to this stay at all.

He walked over to the next door down the hall, searching for Room 313. That next one was marked "Room 316", so he went across the hallway instead. It had to be there. Room 314, Room 312, Room 310...maybe he was wrong? It had to be around _somewhere_... He walked back across the hallway, searching the doors again. Room 311, Room 315, Room 317...

Something wasn't quite right here. Where was Room 313? "Um, Eeveen?"

"Hm?" Eeveen looked up at AJ. He was petting Lunaria, obviously not paying AJ's search any attention. "Did ya find my room?"

"Well...that's the weird part." AJ scratched his head, puzzled at the situation, "I see Room 315, Room 314, Room 312, and Room 311, but not Room 313."

"Huh? Why not?" Eeveen stood back up, scooping up Solaris as Lunaria jumped and took up a spot on his shoulders. "I thought you knew what you were doing here. You know I can't read!"

"Don't blame me! Room 313 doesn't look like it exists. Maybe the owner's superstitious or something."

"Weird. Why would my room not exist? That makes no sense..."

"Looks like we have no choice but to share a room. Its right here." AJ slid his room key into the lock, opening the door with a noisy groan.

The room was even more depressing than the hallway. The walls and carpet were identical to the hallway. Two barely-made double-beds with only one threadbare blanket each, stood on opposite sides of the room. Between the two beds, a rather wobbly-looking pine table sat. A very dusty Parat-shaped lamp sat on the tabletop, an jarringly-cute (and rather pitiful) attempt at decorating this place. In spite of this being a ground-level room, there was not a single window or light in here. Clearly, there was not a single attempt to make this room inviting, save that pathetic lamp.

AJ sighed dejectedly. What a dismal letdown. He stepped into the room, looking the lamp over. He found the switch and flipped it. The Patrat's ears were the light-bulbs, and AJ was temporarily blinded by the sudden brightness of the unshaded bulbs. He stumbled back a few steps, tripped, and landed flat on his back, hitting the floor painfully. AJ groaned and blinked, pulling himself to his feet in a daze. The lamp did surprisingly little to brighten the room. Now that AJ's eyes weren't watering anymore, he could see that the room was still just as gloomy _with_ the light as without. Swell. Just what he needed. AJ grumbled to himself, pulling the door shut behind him as he ambled over to the left-most bed. AJ flopped down on the bed, recoiling at the stiff, creaky mattress and musty-smelling sheets. AJ shook his head, cursing under his breath. He was more than a little cranky by now. AJ decided he better try to sleep anyway. It had to be well-past midnight already; he could hear the nighttime buzzing and screeching of the Venipedes and Karrablast outside. AJ grabbed his pillow furiously and jammed his face under it. This was _not_ going to be a good night, and he fumed quietly from under his pillow as he struggled to shut out the increasingly distracting noises all around him. He had no idea how long he laid there, trying desperately to ignore the racket, but he finally sat back up to turn out that annoyingly bright light. Having shut off the lamp, AJ finally fell back, falling asleep before he even hit his pillow.

* * *

AJ was still half-asleep when he felt his shoulder being shaken. AJ pulled away and rolled onto his back. Was it morning already? He was still so tired from last night. "Just a bit longer, Eeveen," AJ mumbled, settling back down into the bed.

"AJ? AJ? Come on, get up!" AJ groaned and crammed his pillow over his ears. Surely another hour wouldn't kill him! Just then, he felt a second pillow hit him in the face. "Wake _up_ AJ! This is no time to be like that!"

AJ shot to a sitting pose, momentarily disoriented. "Eev_een_..." AJ was very angry at being woken up like that. He shot a fearsome glare at Eeveen, who was holding the pillow back for another hit. "I swear if you do that _one more time_, I'll kick your pyscho Eevee ass!"

Eeveen simply dropped the pillow and shrugged. "Well, you're awake, right?"

AJ just stared, folding his arms and scowling at his companion. Sometimes, that ditz could be such a pain! "Seriously? That's what you've got?! Not cool, Eeveen!"

"AJ, this is important! Get mad later! Come look at this!" Eeveen rushed over to the nightstand and turned on the lamp.

What the lamp revealed left AJ wondering just how hard Eeveen hit him.

The room was nothing like the one he had fallen asleep in. It was painted a garish, pasty pink color, and the carpet was plush and blue. The beds resembled children's beds and they were painted a playful shade of green. Even that rickety table looked totally different: it was the same green as the beds and built in a chunky style suited for kids. There was a pile of six stuffed Pokémon dolls posed neatly in front of the table too: a Pikachu, a Clefairy, a Riolu, a Magby, an Elekid, and a Ralts. It would have been quite a cute lineup in any other situation. The only sign that this was even remotely related to the hotel room, was that Patrat-lamp. Except this one was clean and new and a lampshade sat over its lightbulb-ears.

AJ forgot his anger in his sheer bewilderment. "Eeveen? What happened to the room?"

"I know! Freaky, huh?"

AJ shook his head. Freaky was one way of putting it. He knew he didn't fall asleep in some weird kids' playroom. He was sure of that. "Eeveen, this could be bad. Let's go find Melody."

If Eeveen had looked any more shocked, his Eevee ears would have shot straight up. "Oh! I can't believe I forgot about her! Yeah, let's go." AJ got up from the bed, following Eeveen to the door. Eeveen opened the door to the hallway, revealing a scene that made no sense. The rooms down this hallway all had the same number above the doors.

Room 313.

"Whoa." Eeveen froze in the doorway. "I don't remember _this _stuff."

AJ swallowed hard. "Me neither." AJ nudged Eeveen's back. "C'mon, move. One of these doors has to be the right one here."

"Uh..." Eeveen back-stepped away. "Y-you first."

AJ shook his head and pushed past Eeveen. Sure, he wasn't feeling all that confident either, but he was determined not to let it stop him from figuring this mess out. He decided to try the room straight across the hall first. That _used_ to be Room 315 last night: Melody's room, if he remembered right. AJ raised his fist up, preparing to knock at the door. Before his hand even touched that green door, a blood-curdling scream pierced his ears and caused him to leap away in startled shock. His thoughts darkened at the notion that it was Melody.

"M-M-Melly!?" AJ grabbed the doorknob and turned it hard. It was locked, of course. "Melody! S-say something! Hey!" AJ rattled the doorknob to no avail. It was shut tight. "I'll break it open if you don't-!" The doorknob twisted in his hand, and the door yanked itself open. Melody was standing there, looking like she was still half-asleep. Her head was down and she didn't seem terribly happy.

AJ sighed in relief. "Melly! Thank Mew you're okay! I was worried when...you..." Melody looked up at him, and what AJ saw made his voice freeze up. Melody's eyes were glowing red and there was a rather somber expression on her face. She was floating a few inches off the floor, and she resembled a marionette whose strings were being pulled.

"Melly!?" AJ blinked and shook his head. "Wait...you can't be...Melody...?"

"Melody" just stared at him, unblinking and unresponsive. Then suddenly, Melody seemed to strain, scrunching her face and muttering out a few chilling words.

"Get...out...of...my...HOUSE!"


	21. The Fallen Dragon

Leo desperately wanted to flee this beast. It seemed impossible to defeat such a thing. There was a half-rotten...dragon here, and it was hellbent on trying to kill him! The reality was that this thing was between him and any exit, save that hole he fell through. He had no choice but to fight the Pokémon-thing. Leo looked down to Flare. His confidence sunk when he saw that she was cowering behind Shawn, yelping and whining in a rather pitiable way.

Leo almost envied her.

"Damn my luck!" Leo spat angrily, "We gotta do something!"

"I got your back!" Sarah leaped down, landing nimbly behind Leo.

"What should I do?! Guys!" Leo heard Amber shout from above. "Don't leave me here all alone!"

"Stay put, Amber!" Sarah called back, "Back us up if you can!"

"Okay, but..."

"We'll be alright if we just work together!" Sarah looked back down at the others with a confident smile. "Right everyone?"

Leo swallowed hard. "Uh...right." Even though he was agreeing with her, Leo was unsure about his own declaration. This wasn't just a ordinary Pokémon. This was...a...well...

What the hell _was_ he fighting, anyway?

Leo turned and called his Pokémon. "Flare, come! We...we gotta fight!" Poor Flare was clearly frightened, but the Growlithe slunk over to Leo's side, trembling in fear. Leo quickly considered his tactics. This thing seemed like it was using ice-based attacks. Maybe a fire-based move would work well, assuming it was also an ice-type.

"Flare! Use Flamethrower!" Leo declared, pointing at the approaching dragon. Flare shot Leo a wide-eyed look of uncertainty. Then she charged the dragon, spewing fire as she rushed it. To Leo's surprise, Sarah joined her, glowing white as she matched Flare's charge. Leo recognized the move: Helping Hand. Flare seemed just as surprised as her fire intensified, hitting the dragon square in the face. It moaned again, and those violet eyes flashed as it shook itself. Leo could see that the flames singed its face, partly revealing a stark, white skull under rotting flesh. Leo's revulsion intensified as the beast rumbled irately at him, baring its many fangs at the party.

"I don't think that did much. Let's try a different move!" Sarah suggested, "Leo, have Flare do some more stuff! I'll back her up!"

Leo nodded. "Speaking of backup," he looked back at Shawn and Gloria, "do something you two! Help me!"

Gloria threw out a Pokéball of her own. "I know, I know! Luxray!"

Shawn shook his head, apparently snapping out of a a shocked and frozen stare. "Oh, right! Chikosu!" He threw out the Flygon's Pokéball, releasing the green dragon within. "Let's go! Dragon Tail!"

"I got this!" Sarah chimed in, "Leo, you know what to do. Gloria, cover us!"

"Got it. Use, Charge!" Luxray's fur started to crackle as she built up an electric charge.

Leo pointed to the angry zombie. "Now! Fire Fang!" Flare charged again, sinking her flaming maw into the dragon's right foreleg. Its only reaction to her bite was to fling the Growlithe aside, ripping a mouthful of its skin off as she was flicked away. That left the Pokémon completely blindsided by a vicious-looking tail-slap from Chikosu. Even the Flygon looked surprised at the added power from Sarah's boost.

"Oh crap! Watch out!" Shawn shouted, pointing a finger at the dragon.

Leo spun around just in time to see that monster raise a paw. The beast swatted both Sarah and Flare aside with one swipe, knocking them both back into Leo painfully. He couldn't keep his footing, and he fell down on his butt. Leo quickly scrambled to his feet, glaring at the formidable enemy before him. To his alarm, the beast seemed to be regenerating, and the flesh on its face and paw soon healed over right before his eyes. Its body seemed to regrow too, and it seemed even stronger now.

"T-t-that isn't working!" Shawn sounded like he was on the verge of panic, "_Nothing's_ working! What'll we do now?!"

Leo thought out his options. If he continued to attack, this thing would just keep healing itself, possibly becoming too strong to fight! Retreating down that tunnel was impossible with the dragon in the way. His only choice was to defeat this Pokémon somehow. There had to be a way...

"Guys! It's too strong! Fly away!" Leo heard a frightened Amber calling from above.

Shawn shot her an equally scared look, "We can't! If we fly, it'll just ice us! It'll going to kill us! _You_ run!"

"Oh for Mew's sake, get a grip, all of you!" Sarah growled, flattening her ears against her head, "I refuse to be killed by some stupid zombie! This thing's not invincible! It has to have a weak point..."

A weak point! Of course! "Good plan, Sarah!" Leo agreed, "Let's spread out and keep trying! Flare! Aim for that tail! Shawn, go for the legs! Sarah, try hitting it in the chest!"

Her ears drooped further. "I don't like the look of that fog, Leo. I don't want to get anywhere near it!"

"Got a better idea!?" Leo shot back, "We gotta try!"

Sarah nodded grimly. "Yeah. Sorry. Here goes!" She shot a spray of sharp Ice Shards at the enemy. When the ice slashed at the dragon, it roared in protest, falling to the ground at last. Leo froze in place, watching his fallen foe with wary caution. Was it actually over? Not quite, it seemed. The dragon pulled itself to its feet, rising to its haunches and slashing at Flare with its claws. Leo cursed under his breath. What a pain!

"Time to finish this freak!" Gloria swept a hand at the weakened Pokémon, "Do it! Thunder!" Luxray yowled and released a massive lightning-bolt at it, knocking the dragon down the tunnel several feet. Leo didn't take his eyes off the thing. He wasn't going to let his guard down again. This time, the Pokémon didn't get back up and laid still. The fog surrounding its body never let up though, instead it seemed to be getting thicker and darker. Leo suddenly realized why; the dragon's form was actually evaporating away into this weird miasma! Leo backed away, both repulsed and baffled. Luckily, the fog was dissipating quickly, leaving no sign of the strange Pokémon. Leo stood shocked, his mouth agape in astonishment.

What the hell just happened?

"I-i-is it over?!" Shawn sputtered, "D-did we beat it?"

"I think so?" Gloria scratched her head, clearly no more convinced than anyone else. "Its gone...?"

"Hey!" Leo looked up at Amber's shout and saw her holding a Pokéball at the ready. "Everyone alright down there?!"

"Yeah. We're OK now. We beat it..." Leo turned back to where the Pokémon had landed, still not entirely sure he believed what he just saw. No Pokémon should have been like that. Trying to convince himself that it was over, he walked over to the spot that it vanished from. Sure enough, it was completely gone. Leo turned back around to leave, and noticed a gleam of metal on the ground. He bent down and picked it up. The more he looked at it, the more puzzled he became. It was a dark square of plastic the size of a coin, surrounded by countless, silver prongs. He turned the thing over in his hand, wondering why such a thing would be in this cave. Leo saw some tiny markings on the back of the chip and held it up for a closer look.

"What's that, Leo?" Shawn asked from over his shoulder, making Leo jump and nearly drop it. He'd been so distracted by the find that he didn't notice him come and peer over his shoulder until just now.

"Looks like a microchip." Sarah said, returning to her human form, "Where'd you find that?"

"It was right here where we beat the Pokémon." Leo gestured at the icy ground, "I dunno where it came from either..."

"Lemme see." Leo handed her the object. As she looked it over, Sarah's expression grew more and more uneasy.

"What's going on down there? Don't forget me!"

Leo sighed at Amber's protests and looked at Shawn. "We'll come back. Quit fussing!" Leo looked at Sarah again. "Do you know what that is?"

"Sort of. There's some writing on it that really bugs me though..."

"What's it say?" Gloria suddenly pushed Leo aside and squeezed in next to Sarah.

"Uh..." Sarah seemed reluctant to speak suddenly, "Well...take a look for yourself."

Gloria impatiently snatched the chip from Sarah and examined it herself. Then, she too seemed nervous and froze up in uncertainty. "What the...?"

"Speak up, dammit!" Leo was beginning to lose patience with these two, "What's gotten into you guys?!"

Gloria simply handed him the chip again. Leo looked closely at the tiny chip, mildly peeved why they'd be so worked up. As Leo read the tiny silver letters, he realized why they seemed so suddenly upset.

**Species:** _Druddigon_

**OT:**_ Solstice_

**ID:**_ 856741_

**Subject Age:** _7_

**Submission Level:**_ 91.37%_

**Installation Date:**_ 5-7-52_

**Version: **_1.7.3_

"What the hell!" Leo almost dropped the chip again. "'OT: Solstice'?!"

"Didn't you notice what else it said?" Sarah brushed her hair out of her face nervously, "'Species: Druddigon'... Don't you realize what this means?!"

Leo handed a puzzled Shawn the chip and looked back at Sarah. "So, what _does_ it mean?"

"Wait...you mean...?" Gloria bit her lip, cutting herself off.

"That dragon used to be a Druddigon, if this thing's any indicator. This microchip..." Sarah shook her head, sighing in dismay, "I think it did something to that poor Pokémon. This must be part of Solstice's work..."

Leo was dumbstruck. Just how could some random computer chip do something like this? It couldn't be possible, right?!"So, let me get this straight," Leo scratched his head, trying to piece together his thoughts, "You think this thing did all _that_? Bouffalant shit. There's no way that's possible."

"What happened just now is 'impossible' too, but it's real..." Sarah shook her head. "There's too many coincidences to ignore..."

For several uneasy moments, everyone simply exchanged looks back and forth. There was a lot something like this could mean. How many Pokémon were like this? Just how far had Solstice taken this? Worst yet, had she done this to a human? A sudden drip of water from above snapped Leo to attention. Right before his eyes, he saw the ice covering everything thawing out. Leo guessed that the strange Druddigon was the one who froze this cave. He bit his lip in a start, realizing something. With the ice melting, that meant the place could collapse again, just like earlier!

"I seriously think we better go now. This place isn't holding up too well..." Shawn seemed to notice what Leo did. "C'mon guys, let's ditch this place." Shawn clambered onto his Flygon's back, pulling Sarah up behind him. He flew her up out of the hole, returning to fetch Gloria, and then Leo last.

No sooner did he dismount from Chikosu than Amber greeted Leo with a bear-hug. "I was afraid for you guys! Don't do scary stuff like that!" She pulled back, looking between everyone, "I don't like what I heard... Is everything okay?" Leo did his best to recap what happened down there. Even to his own ears, it was a crazy story.

By the time he'd finished getting Amber up to speed, she seemed perturbed. "Do you think this is what that so called 'ascension' is?"

"Ascension? You mean what Silicon wanted to do to you?" Amber looked down at the floor, answering Leo's question with an awkward silence. Leo felt a bit stupid for stating the obvious. He made to speak up again when a loud whistle got his attention. He searched for the source and found a now familiar orange Pokémon floating in the chamber.

"_Thank you for saving me! It was so cold inside that ice..."_

Leo's eyes went wide and he nearly tripped over his own feet. Did Victini just talk?! He barely had time to think about that before he heard its voice again.

"_Are you afraid of me...? I'm sorry!" _Victini seemed a bit upset, but it continued on, _"I realize this is sudden, but I need help."_

"You need help?" Amber asked the Pokémon, "What's wrong?"

Victini's expression grew even more nervous, and it started wringing its hands in worry. _"It's Arceus. It wants war."_


	22. Haunted: Part 2

AJ was still trying to make sense of what just happened here. Something was terribly wrong with Melody. "W-what have you done to Melly!?" AJ backed away several steps, running square into Eeveen in his haste to get away from her. Sure, she _looked_ like Melody, but the glowing eyes and the floating... There was no way this could actually be her. She tried to shut the door in AJ's face, but he grabbed the doorknob and yanked it out of her grasp. "Leave her alone! Get out!"

The imitation looked at the two of them with a cold expression. "I _said,_ GO _AWAY_! This is _my_ home!"

"Let go of Melody first!" AJ demanded, "Then we'll all leave you alone."

"Melody" paused, looking down at herself with a smirk. "Oh. Is this form that important to you?" She chuckled and looked back up at AJ, that ruby glint still in her eyes. "Good. Now you will feel _my_ pain for a change! You will know what it means to endure loss! It serves your arrogant species right!" "Melody" glowered down at him, almost as if she were enjoying this.

"Your pain?" Eeveen queried, "What are you? What did you do with Melody?!"

At this, "Melody" just glared again, her expression souring, "It doesn't matter if I tell _you_ anything! No human can understand my suffering..."

"Try me." Eeveen pushed by AJ, stepping between him and "Melody", "I've been through more than you know. I'm sure if we just talk it out-"

"Shut up!" Eeveen's words only seemed to anger her, and he cringed at her shout. "I despise your kind! Stupid, arrogant, sniveling, humans! You only say that because I've got the upper hand. _I'm_ in charge here. This is _my_ world." She cackled wickedly, a dark violet aura forming around her body. Both Eeveen and AJ backed further away at her bizarre display.

"I've changed my mind! I think I'll torture you human scum! I forgot just how much _fun_ it is to make humans scream!" As she spoke, the black aura clung to her body, and her features changed dramatically. Her body widened and she shrunk as her grin widened into a wicked sneer. Her hair reformed into violet thorns, and her hands became long and talon-like. He recognized the Pokémon: a Haunter. No wonder Melody was acting like that! Just as he realized this, the Haunter screeched and shot a violet beam at them, barely missing AJ's face. AJ panicked and ran into the hallway as the ghost screeched and charged after him with claws bared. AJ instinctively reached into his pocket for Thorn's ball, ready to defend himself.

There was nothing there.

AJ frantically searched his other pockets, desperately searching for a Pokémon to fight Haunter with. It was then that he realized he must have left them back in the room. "Eeveen! I think I forgot my Pokémon! Do something!"

"Mine are gone too. I can't even find Lunaria or Solaris! They're gone!"

AJ shot Eeveen a glance. His face had paled and he seemed completely terrified. "What do you mean 'gone'!? I thought you never go _anywhere_ without Lunaria and Solaris!"

"I can't even find their balls!" Eeveen seemed like he was on the verge of panic, "This is scary, AJ!"

AJ shot his gaze to the angry ghost. "Then there's no choice. You have to transform! It's up to you!"

"Me!?" Eeveen stared at the floor. "Do I have to...?"

"This Pokémon doesn't care what we think, Eeveen! We gotta show it what's what! Besides, would you rather get killed?! _I_ sure don't!"

Eeveen sighed and transformed into his Eevee form. "Ugh. This okay?"

AJ thought it over for a moment. Sure, most of an Eevee's moves are normal-type and would have no effect on the ghost-type Haunter. Then again, a lot of Haunter's own moves wouldn't work on his Eevee form either. Maybe if he could land a few Bites in that would drive it off. "Eeveen! This is a ghost! Watch your attack-types! Try using a-"

Eeveen nodded, his Eevee ears flopping back and forth, "Yeah! I'll just do _this!_" He bounded into the air, flying straight through Haunter and banging into the opposite wall.

AJ sighed irritably. Eeveen sure picked a bad time to be an airhead! "What the?! Eeveen, pay attention, you idiot! Bite it!"

Eeveen shook himself off. "I...I just tried that!" Eeveen's ears shot straight up. "Move, AJ!" AJ had no time to wonder what he meant all of a sudden. He suddenly leaped up and tackled into AJ's chest, knocking him on his butt. AJ shook himself in surprise. Just as AJ was about to scold that batty guy, he saw Haunter rush by where he was standing in a blur of violet energy. Eeveen was just shoving him aside!

"You okay, AJ?" Eeveen asked, his ears back as he spun around to face AJ.

"I'm OK...thanks." AJ stood back up. "Now what? Bite doesn't work..."

"Well, we gotta do something! That Haunter really wants to kill us!" Eeveen shook his head. "But what in Mew's name is going on here?! Bite should have been perfect..."

"Try something different! How about Hidden Power?"

"Oh, good idea!" Eeveen started glowing green. "Here goes!" Suddenly, he shot out six green orbs at Haunter. This finally hit, and it flinched.

"Yes!" AJ pumped a fist in the air. "It's working! Do it again!" Eeveen nodded and repeated the move, hitting Haunter square in the face and knocking it back through a wall.

"Yeah!" AJ looked down to see Eeveen doing a back flip. "Woohoo! This'll teach that stupid ghost!"

"How _dare_ you!" AJ looked back up and was met with another surprise. The ghost was back, but Haunter had transformed again. Now, Haunter looked exactly like him! "This is why I hate humans! Such arrogance!"

"Gah!" Eeveen jumped back, his fur on end, "What's your problem?! Go away already! We don't want to fight you!"

"Don't get indignant with me!" The doppelganger snarled, "Humans are the very reason I suffer!"

"Suffer?" AJ asked, "What happened to you? We can help you if-"

"Shut up!" A furious snarl spread on its face, "Once you've spent your life as an experiment, then _maybe_ you can compare your petty lies to me!"

Eeveen turned into his Espeon form, "I _was_ an experiment."

"...Humph!" Haunter simply glared at Eeveen. AJ swallowed hard. What if Haunter didn't believe Eeveen? It seemed so fixated on destroying them... "Fine. Speak your part." Haunter's sadistic smile returned, "If I don't like what you say, you'll spend all eternity as my dream-slaves!"

"What!?" AJ's eyes widened in shock, "Now that's unfair!"

"That goes double for you, you irritating trainer!" Haunter glared harshly at AJ. "As I said, this is _my_ world. I am your master so long as you are here!"

"Okay, okay..." AJ desperately tried to placate the angry ghost. If it was serious about what it said, then...he had no choice but to try and pacify its outrage. He still had no idea exactly what was happening, but it was clear this Haunter was the cause.

"Here...I will lend you my thoughts." Eeveen closed his eyes and his forehead jewel started to glow.

"Don't you dare touch my...!" Haunter's rant was cut short and its expression fell flat. "Really. Hmm."

Haunter seemed to contemplate something. "Interesting..."

"What was that?" AJ asked.

"I just gave it some of my memories." Eeveen replied, as casual as if he were talking about the weather, "I thought it was better if it saw what I did firsthand."

"I see. That one used to be a human." Haunter looked at Eeveen analytically, "Interesting. Here I assumed this was perhaps a clever Ditto."

"A Ditto!?" Eeveen seemed offended, "Yeesh. That hurts."

"I understand a little now." Haunter sighed, "This is awkward..."

"I don't mind." Eeveen transformed back into his human form. "Now talk to us. Why did you kidnap us?"

"I don't know what you're talking about. You're just dreaming."

Dreaming! This _was_ a nightmare! Eeveen was clearly unamused and he waved a hand at Haunter, "You know what I mean! Why did you do this to us?"

"...Hm." Haunter just stared between them, "I think it's better if I release you two. Go to the basement of the hotel. You'll find your answers there. I just ask one thing in return."

"What's that?" AJ wasn't sure he wanted to listen to the ghost's request, but he had little choice now.

Haunter's response was simple, but surprising. "When you find it, put my body to proper rest."

"Put your body to rest? Then...!" AJ was upset. Had its past trainer not even cared?! The thought made AJ angry. No Pokémon deserved to be abandoned! As AJ looked back at Haunter, he noticed his vision starting to fade out.

"Don't forget." Haunter pointed at AJ meaningfully, "If you do, I'll haunt you!"

AJ was starting to get dizzy suddenly. He tried to lean against the wall for support, but found himself falling instead. AJ was scared: just what was Haunter doing now?! His panicked thoughts grew muddled, and his world blacked out before he hit the ground.

* * *

"-_UP_ already!" AJ was faintly aware of a girl's voice shouting at him and a hand shaking his shoulder.

"It's no use. They're still unconscious..." This was a boy's voice this time.

"This isn't fair... Why won't they wake up!?"

AJ groaned and opened his eyes. The first thing he saw was a very upset Melody, clinging to his arm and crying. "M...Melly?"

Melody looked up, her eyes wide in surprise. Her expression quickly soured and she shot to her feet, scowling at him. "AJ! You're such an ass!"

"Huh?" AJ sat up and looked around. He was laying down on a cot. There were several medical machines scattered around the room. The room was painted a distinct pink color that AJ recognized right away. "I'm in a Pokémon Center?"

"How'd we get here?" Eeveen said from the bed next to his.

"Great! You two finally came around." AJ turned to see Cheren standing on his right. "Are you alright? Do you feel weak or lightheaded?"

"No...just tired." AJ yawned, still feeling rather sleepy.

"We...collapsed?" Eeveen seemed just as puzzled as AJ, "How'd that happen? I don't remember..."

"Melody said she found you two collapsed in the lobby of the hotel." Cheren looked between them with a concerned expression. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"I guess..." AJ scratched his head and yawned again.

"How can you still be sleepy?!" Melody said in anger, "You've been out for three days!"

"We were asleep for three days?!" Eeveen asked.

"You're not off the hook either, fuzz-butt!" Melody glared back at Eeveen.

AJ sighed in exasperation. This wasn't going to be easy to explain at all...


	23. Hotel Horror

_**A/N: **Eeep! So sorry about the format issues. I'm currently trying to fix these problems, so please bear with me...thanks!_

* * *

AJ was exhausted. Somehow, being asleep for three days did not leave him at all refreshed. He felt as if he had been up for three days instead. As he sluggishly made his way into the lobby of the Pokémon Center, he did his best to explain to Melody what happened. All he knew was that after he made it to his room and fell asleep, that was when Haunter "kidnapped" him and Eeveen, and he told her as much.

"Blitzle shit." Melody didn't seem to believe him, and she folded her arms as she stared sternly. "So AJ, you feel like telling me the truth here?"

AJ sighed. "I just know what I saw, I guess. Everything after I went to sleep was part of that Haunter's nightmare. How about you? What happened?"

"You mean, to me?" Melody shrugged. "Nothing. I woke up in the middle of the night because I heard you guys shouting at someone. When I went to knock on your door, an Eevee shot of there like a bullet and almost hit me! It took me a second to realize that the insane Eevee was just Eeveen. I guess the giveaway was when Lunaria and Solaris went cuckoo yelping and squeaking after him."

"Did I do anything weird either?" AJ asked her.

"You weren't any better. You were ranting on about a ghost and you just ran right after him, shouting and waving your arms around like a madman. Of course, I went after you guys. I was worried. I just about panicked when you two all of a sudden collapsed in the lobby."

AJ tried to think about it a little. Somehow they apparently acted out what happened in the dream a little. Maybe that too was Haunter's doing. He looked back up just in time to notice a frantic Eeveen standing in front of the exit to the Pokémon Center, having a bit of a stand-off with Cheren. Apparently, he wouldn't let him leave.

"Come on, Cheren!" Eeveen complained, darting to and fro as he tried to go around him, "I'm not interested in being haunted!"

"I can't let you go alone!" Cheren folded his arms, "I won't budge an inch until we have a plan of action here."

"I told you what I'm going to do!"

AJ couldn't help "Glad to see you're doing well."

Eeveen spun around, pointing an accusatory finger at Cheren. "AJ! Make him move! We can't just-"

"Eeveen!" Cheren grabbed him by the shoulders and firmly pushed him onto a bench, "Settle down! Take a deep breath. If you just rush out there-"

"Settle down?!" Eeveen shook his head. "You weren't the one who got dream-napped!"

AJ took up a seat next to Eeveen. "Look. Running out there alone isn't gonna help. Let's go to the hotel together."

"What?" Cheren clearly didn't expect that response. "You too, hm?"

AJ quickly recapped his tale to Cheren. He wanted to solve this quickly, and Eeveen's impatience was contagious. "Listen. Whatever's going on could be a big problem if we don't figure this out. Are you going to help us, Cheren?"

"Of course. If this Pokémon attacks again, more people could be in danger." Cheren seemed reluctant in spite of his words. "I'm just concerned about you two. Are you sure you're okay? You aren't Pokémon. I can't imagine getting attacked by a ghost is at all healthy. You and Eeveen should stay behind and rest."

"Actually..." Eeveen transformed into his Eevee form. "I kind of am a Pokémon."

"You know what I mean!" Cheren shook his head at the smirking Eeveen as he resumed his human form. "I have to insist on this. Melody, help me out here."

AJ turned to Melody. "Come on, Melly. You know it can't wait..."

"Me?" Melody scratched her head, "Well, I can't blame you guys for wanting to solve this right away. I think we should see it through as soon as possible."

AJ smiled at her, relieved. Maybe she was on his side after all. "Melly..."

"Really? Am I the only one who sees the danger here!?" Cheren shot one of his stubborn glares between all three of them.

"That's not...ugh!" AJ sighed and smacked his forehead with a palm. "Fine, fine. I'll do whatever you want after we get this solved, okay!?" AJ stood up. "Let's do this." As he left the Pokémon Center, Cheren did not get in the way again. Instead, AJ saw Eeveen and Melody trail behind him, a still reluctant Cheren taking the rear.

Cheren sighed in resigned frustration. "For the love of Mew, I hope I wasn't _this_ crazy four years ago..."

* * *

AJ stood in the lobby of the hotel, somewhat puzzled. Maybe he was simply over-tired, but the hotel somehow looked much neater in the daylight. It was clean, modern, and overall average-looking. There were several people chatting in the hall, and the receptionist greeted the group with a grin. This was not at all like the dingy, run-down mess he saw last night. "Hm. Somehow it looked a lot worse in here earlier."

"What are you talking about? It's exactly like it was last night." Melody replied, "What was it like to you?"

"Dirty, dusty, run-down, and just plain yuck." AJ walked across the lobby, heading for a nearby stairwell. "Haunter said we'd find our answers in the basement."

"Then here's as good a place to start as any." Eeveen started to descend the stairs ahead of AJ. "I just hope Haunter keeps its word."

AJ paused. "Hang on a second." He wanted to be certain his pal was by his side this time. He drew out Thorn's Pokéball and released him, sighing in relief when the familiar turtle appeared by his side. Thorn seemed equally pleased, and he nuzzled his trainer's leg.

AJ smiled and scratched the Grotle in his favorite spot just behind his head-plate. "It's been a while, huh boy. Ready to go?"

"Grotle, gro." The Pokémon replied, nibbling at his pant leg slightly.

"How about a Flash, Thorn? Let's get some light in there."

"Gro!" Thorn's shell lit up and started to glow, illuminating the passageway. The stairs lead right down into a large room, barely lit by Thorn's luminescence.

"Everyone ready?" AJ asked.

Eeveen nodded. "Uh huh. I've got the girls right here." He nudged Lunaria with a leg as he patted Solaris, who had draped herself over his shoulders like a purple boa.

"My team's ready to go." Cheren responded. "Patrat and Lillipup are both raring to go."

"Ivory's okay too." Melody said, already walking down the steps. "C'mon. Let's get this over with."

AJ followed her, Eeveen and Cheren taking the back. As he and Thorn reached the bottom of the stairs, he was greeted with a strange sight. The room looked like a utility and storage room. There was a big water heater in one corner, and stacks of boxes lined the walls. What caught his eye was the set of doors, nearly hidden by a stack of boxes. AJ got the feeling that whatever was here was supposed to be kept there. Why else would someone go to the trouble of hiding these doors? AJ moved the boxes aside, and with everyone's help, the job was very quickly done, revealing a rather intimidating set of double-doors. The big, steel doors were wrapped in...twine?

No. It wasn't twine.

As he approached the doors, he noticed that the twine was in fact, painted metal wire. It was firmly wrapped around the doors and between the door-jamb, ending in a rusty, open padlock. Now that he was closer, he could see dots of rust all over the metal and between the braids of wire. It looked like nobody had opened these doors in a long time, years at least. As he reached for the padlock, AJ saw the lock suddenly swing open and drop off, clattering to the floor at his feet. He withdrew his hand in a start, looking back at his companions. Their expressions all mirrored his own confused astonishment.

"Did that just...fall off on its own?" Cheren asked.

"I-I didn't even touch it! It just popped off all by itself...!" AJ was beginning to get a bad sense of déjà vu. This was too much like last night! Or, several nights ago, as it were.

Eeveen asked, "Is whatever Haunter wants us to see in here? I got a funny feeling-"

As if answering his nervous question, the wire unwrapped itself from the doors, landing at AJ's feet in a pile like a limp snake. AJ found himself backing away from the doors as they creaked open of their own accord, shedding little flakes of rust as they parted. Thorn's light only revealed a forked, concrete corridor, leading somewhere off into the distance to his left and straight ahead.

"I'm seriously creeped out now." Melody said, seeming to speak for everyone. "Something's definitely here...and it _wants_ us here too."

"Keep your Pokémon close, everyone." Cheren let out his Lillipup as he spoke, "Don't take any unnecessary risks."

Melody nervously edged closer to AJ as she unleashed Ivory. "Um, it looks like the path branches off ahead. Maybe we should split up. We can-"

"NO!" AJ and Eeveen blurted together. AJ looked back at Eeveen, pausing and allowing him to continue, "Are you nuts?! I bet that's what it wants us to do. Horror movies are just like that too! Split 'em up, pick 'em off one by one, then-"

"Quit it!" Melody waved a hand at Eeveen, "Yeesh, sorry I mentioned that."

AJ ignored the argument behind him. His attention was on a faint, purple light that seemed to be flickering down the path leading straight ahead. The light was distant, but it was definitely there.

"What are you staring at?" Cheren asked. AJ ignored him. He was focused on the light drawing closer. Just what was that thing?

"**_GET IN THERE_**!"

AJ barely had time to flinch at the shrill shriek before something shoved him hard from behind, forcing him to stumble into the corridor. AJ spun around just in time to see the doors slam shut in his face. He froze in bewildered terror for a moment, searching for who, or what did this. Nobody spoke for several long moments, and they were clearly just as spooked as he was.

"Gaaah!" Eeveen shot forward suddenly, grabbing one door, "Lemme out of here, you jerk! This isn't funny!" Eeveen's yanking and pulling yielded no results. The doors did not budge one inch, no matter how hard Eeveen seemed to tug on it. A soft giggle from behind the door made AJ back away again, and Eeveen simply froze up, still clinging to the handles.

"Something's very wrong!" Cheren commented, "Who would do this to us?!"

Who indeed? AJ shook his head. "I guess we don't have a choice now. We have to go further in here and-"

"No we don't! This is too much!" Eeveen was grabbing his head and cringing, "It's last night all over again! I can't take another kidnapping! I can't! I-!"

"Eeveen!" AJ grabbed him roughly and shook his shoulders, "Get a grip! Panicking is just gonna make it worse!"

"AJ..." Eeveen was shaking in AJ's grip. AJ found himself at a loss for words. What could he say? He was scared too for Mew's sake! Whoever does crap like this was seriously wrong in the head.

"Look, standing around and freaking out won't get us out of here." AJ looked up at Cheren, who was standing further down the corridor at the intersection. "Let's just concentrate on getting out. _Then_, we'll figure out who's messing with us."

"And kick his ass!" Melody chimed in, earning a nod and a "Wak!" of agreement out of Ivory.

"Y-yeah..." Eeveen still sounded spooked, but at least he seemed to regain his composure a little. He pulled out of AJ's grasp and straightened himself up sheepishly. "I'm sorry."

"How about this way? It's as good a start as any." Cheren was starting to make his way down the path leading straight. No sooner did he do that when a violet , translucent wall suddenly sprang up in front of him! The barricade's light illuminated a strange, amorphous figure floating just behind it. It was a violet ball of energy with a glowing, green set of eyes and jagged-toothed maw. The thing's grin widened and it launched a black beam of energy, bouncing backward off the barrier as Cheren spun around and bolted in wide-eyed fright, his terrified Lillipup yelping and yipping at his heels. AJ rushed down the side-path, following an equally scared Melody and Eeveen down the hall as the thing's cackle echoed in the basement. AJ rushed into the first room he saw, which was conveniently just ahead, and slammed the door shut. More of the unnerving sounds told him that the thing was still trying to shoot the barrier down.

"W-w-what the hell was that?!" Melody sputtered.

"How should I know!?" AJ blurted back, "I don't wanna get anywhere near that thing!"

"I-I've read about this Pokémon before." AJ turned to Cheren, who seemed like he was ready to bolt again at any moment. "I-its a Spiritomb. We're in serious trouble."


	24. Arceus' Judgment

Solstice was pleased with the progress her scientists were making. As she patrolled the hall, she looked into the large window of each room. The subjects inside were Pokémon of various ages and species. Some would thrash and screech at the sight of her. Some were already restrained to their tables, unable to do more than cry in protest. Still others would simply stare with flat expressions and a dull gaze, already perfect subordinates. Each one had an important role in her research, especially those whose will was defeated. Ascension was easiest on the Pokémon who wouldn't struggle after all.

"So, this is your lab," A dark-haired man walking beside her commented, "Its magnificent."

"Your abilities fascinate me." She responded, "I welcome you to Silicon. People of your caliber are rare enough, to say nothing of your talent."

His green eyes lit up and he nodded. "What should I call you? Boss? Captain? Leader? Majesty?"

"Stop it. Boss works."

"Sorry. I meant no disrespect, Boss." The man saluted, "Its an honor to serve an organization like Silicon."

"Just remember our deal," Solstice said, "I will only provide you with resources based on your performance, is that clear?"

"As long as I still get to kill that Arceus-blasted Sarah in the end, I agree."

"You can do with Team Night as you please." As Solstice finished her sentence, the man's form shifted. He first became a pink blob of a Pokémon, then a Zweilous. This wasn't the first time she saw his gift, but it still intrigued her every time. "In fact, I need you to track them down. Find the one called Sarah and report back, is that clear?"

A smile spread across the Zweilous' faces. "Don't worry, Boss. Max never fails." As the Zweilous galloped down the hall, Solstice's confidence rose. With someone like Max on her side, she now had a new weapon against that annoying Team Night and Amber. She smiled in anticipation.

This was going to be fun.

* * *

Amber stared in speechless surprise. Victini was right here all along! It must have been one of the Pokémon she saw frozen earlier. Victini didn't seem all that fazed by being frozen, thankfully. It had to be pretty tough to survive that so well!

"_Thank you for saving me! It was so cold inside that ice..."_

Amber's mouth dropped open and she took a step back in amazement. Victini talked! Maybe it was kind of like Shadow that way?

"_Are you afraid of me...? I'm sorry!" _Victini seemed a bit upset, but it continued on, _"I realize this is sudden, but I need help." _

Amber realized Victini's voice seemed to be coming from inside her mind. Maybe it was telepathic? She decided to answer its plea. "You need help?" Amber asked the Pokémon, "What's wrong?" Amber could tell Victini was uneasy, but what could be enough to upset a legendary Pokémon like Victini?

Victini's expression grew even more nervous, and it started wringing its hands in worry. _"It's Arceus. It wants war."_

"Huh? Arceus?!" Shawn blurted, "You mean _the_ Arceus, god of all Pokémon?!"

_"__The same."_ Victini glanced somberly between the party, its huge, blue eyes downcast, ___"Its Judgment has found humans to be unfit for this world. It has summoned me to begin preparations."_

"Wait a minute!" Leo cut Victini off, waving a hand at it, "What the hell do you mean by all that? Are you here to fight against us?!"

Victini looked quietly between everyone, its expression one of intense regret. _"Not specifically. Arceus____ sent me to destroy a human town not far away from here."_

Amber couldn't believe what she was hearing. If what Victini was saying was right, then it was going to kill people for sure! She had to stop it. Even though she knew she wouldn't stand a chance against a Pokémon like Victini, her hand drifted to Fang's Pokéball.

"Victini," She asked the legend, "are you really going to destroy Aspertia Town? That's not true, right?!"

Victini shook its head, ___"No. I won't do that. Arceus may be our god, but I just can't do this. Destroying the entire town would kill innocent people and Pokémon. I know Arceus sees the human species as unforgivable, but I believe that humans are capable of more than just evil. I have to prove it!"_

"Then why does it think we're evil?" Gloria asked, "Is it because of Silicon, or what?!"

_"__Silicon?" __Victini seemed puzzled, ____"What's that? Is that what's been corrupting Pokémon?"_

"Corrupting Pokémon..." Sarah pulled something out of her pocket. Amber could see it was the microchip Leo found earlier. "Does this have anything to do with it?"

Victini winced and flew away from them with a back-flip, now seeming terrified and shocked. Amber cringed, herself taken aback by Victini's reaction.___ "That's...?! That's the source! Don't come near me with that! Don't corrupt me!"_

"Yikes! Sorry," Sarah pocketed it again, slowly raising her hands innocently, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you..."

"So...why'd you lead us here?" Leo shot the Victory Pokémon a wary glare, "This has nothing to do with us! Go get your legendary pals to help! We have enough on our plate already."

_"__That's the problem..."_ Victini shook its head,___"I'm just one Pokémon...____I need to find strong-willed Pokémon who still believe in humans, and humans who will heed my call. You are the only ones who answered my message." __It folded its hands in a imploring gesture and looked between them pleadingly again. ____"I'm desperate. Help me."_

Amber quietly took in Victini's words for several moments. This was all pretty sudden. Amber wasn't sure what Victini wanted out of them. She guessed it would eventually want to fight Arceus, and she knew how that would end. "Victini, I'm not that good. I only have one Badge. I'm too weak to help-"

_"__Silly human!"__ Victini's expression brightened, ____"Don't you know who I am?!"_ Victini drifted ever closer to Amber, its grin widening, ___"I am Victini! I am the god of victory! Anyone with my blessing will never lose so long as they have the will to carry on!" _Amber suddenly realized that Victini was within an arm's length of her. She stared in open-mouthed surprise asVictini tapped her on the nose, whistling once.___"You're strong already. What you lack is confidence, not ability."_

"Huh?" Amber was flabbergasted. It was acting like it knew her. Maybe Victini was reading her mind? "Confidence...?"

_"__Of course!"_ Victini chirped and flew to Leo next.___"You still don't quite believe me, do you? I can't say I blame you. You have not yet overcome a recent trauma that locked away your memories and broke your willpower."_

Amber saw Leo's eyes go wide and his jaw drop. "You know about that?!" He said, staring at the Pokémon.

_"__Of course I do. Reading human minds is easy." _Victini smiled again.___ "I can tell all kinds of things!"_

"Get to the point!" Leo shot back, clearly beginning to get frustrated, "What are you asking of us?!"

_"__So impatient...!" _Victini nodded, casting an annoyed glance at Leo.___"Fine. I guess we can chat later."_

"Leo!" Sarah gave Leo a look. "What's the big idea?!"

Leo folded his arms, giving Sarah a rather irritated glare. "Oh, I dunno. Maybe its that Victini was sent to kill people! Did you already forget that?! Its definitely up to something!"

_"__I'm sorry..."_ Victini lowered its head,___"I guess that's true. How can I expect you to trust me after I said all that?"_

Amber sighed. Poor Victini. She couldn't help but feel sorry for it. She decided to take a risk with Victini. Why would it have led them here if all it wanted was to beat Arceus? "I wanna help. So, how can we stop Arceus? Do we really have to defeat it?"

Victini's smile returned. _"Actually, there's one thing I hope will pacify it. Then, I can avoid having to fight its Judgment."_

"What?" Said Gloria, "How can we do that?"

"_It might help if I find Plates for it. Arceus __**loves**__ tributes. Ever since it lost its Plates, it has always wanted to find them again."_

"Plates?" Amber was puzzled. "What are these plates?"

"_They are said to be tablets that resemble all of the various elements."_ Victini just shrugged. _"They are precious and rare though." _Victini smiled, pulling a small, red stone tablet out from behind its back. _"I have a Flame Plate I found some time ago. I want you humans to have it." _Victini flew over to Amber, holding out the stone. Amber reached out and took the Plate in both hands. It was vaguely warm to the touch, and surprisingly light for its size.

"Why does Arceus like these things?" Leo asked, giving the Plate a judging look, "Looks pretty useless to me."

"_Let a __Pokémon use a Fire-type move while holding it. It makes that move stronger! Apart from that, I don't know..."_

Amber looked back up at Victini. "What should we do? I don't even know where to begin..."

_"__I don't know either..." _Victini glanced about worriedly.___"I shouldn't stay here. If Arceus finds out I did this..." __ Victini started to fly away._

"Wait, Victini!" Shawn called, "Don't go!"

_"__I'll find you again later, don't worry." _Victini smiled,___"I like humans. I don't want to see Arceus carry out its Judgment. Stay safe, and beware of Arceus' agents." _Before Amber could even respond to that, Victini shot off down the cave in a trail of flames, leaving her holding the Flame Plate. Nobody said anything for several long moments, instead looking back and forth at one another. Amber looked down at the Plate again. Would Arceus really accept something like this? It seemed like just a slab of reddish stone to her...

"Anyone else confused here?" Amber looked up and saw Sarah staring off after Victini.

"Its hard to believe this. What a mess..." Gloria sighed, "I think we should head back to Aspertia Town and regroup. We'll figure out what to do from there."

"Sounds good to me," Sarah pulled out her Xtransceiver, "I'll let AJ and Eeveen know the plan." As Sarah dialed the phone, Amber stared down at the Flame Plate again. No matter how she thought about it, the idea seemed silly. Still, all she had to go on was Victini's story. She put the Flame Plate in her bag for now. Maybe she'd try letting Fang or Shadow hold it later.

"That's weird..." Sarah tapped the phone, "It says, 'Number not in Service.' That makes no sense. I'm sure I know their numbers..."

"Maybe we aren't getting a proper signal in the cave," Gloria turned to the path where they came from earlier, "Let's try again outside." As Amber followed her, with the others close behind, she couldn't shake an ominous feeling about the situation. If what Victini said was true, this could be the start of an all-out war for sure...

As she glanced behind her, she saw a red glow on the horizon. Already, the sun was starting to set. She guessed they could make it all the way to Aspertia by evening if they flew.

"We should go quickly," Shawn released Chikosu and Serious, almost seeming to read Amber's mind, "Gotta contact everyone before any of Arceus' allies attack."

"Yeah," Sarah released Zentra, already climbing onto the dragon's back, "We don't have time to go by foot. It's too slow." She reached out a hand to Amber, "C'mon, I'll carry you up here."

"What about Silicon?" Leo asked.

"We'll have to take the risk," Sarah replied. With a resigned sigh, Leo scooped up Flare and climbed aboard Chikosu as Shawn took his seat upon Serious, with Gloria climbing up behind him. As the three Pokémon took to the sky, Amber could only hope that they weren't going to end up too late.


	25. A Furious Flight

Leo couldn't shake his uneasiness. As they flew over the land, Leo found himself thinking about what Victini said.

_Beware of Arceus' agents..._

Leo scanned the surroundings warily, keeping a close eye out for incoming threats. His nerves were on edge and he couldn't sit still. He could see that the others were tense too, especially Sarah. He saw an unusually unsure look on her face. For a moment, she even looked like she might cry. He could see that Amber wasn't being nearly as tough as Sarah, and she was covering her face miserably. Shawn kept petting Serious and glancing around anxiously. Even the usually calm Gloria was obviously disturbed, and she seemed to have resorted to talking to the Houndark. Leo sighed and shook his head. Who was he kidding? He was at a loss himself. Chikosu looked up at him, droning at Leo, and he smiled at the dragon. It was almost as if he was trying to comfort him. He scratched the Flygon between his head-tufts, and earned a contented buzz from the dragon, and a jealous glare from his Growlithe.

"Sarah?" Shawn flew closer to Sarah, leaning over at her, "Hey?"

That tearful look vanished in a moment. "Yes, Shawn?" She grinned at him, and Leo could tell she was hiding behind her smile.

"Are you okay? You look a bit out of it."

Her brother was clearly trying to be casual, but Sarah was evasive with him. "I'm fine. Nothing's wrong."

"Really. You were about to cry just now. Is it about what Victini said?"

Sarah flew higher with Zentra, deliberately hiding from him. "I _said_ I'm fine. Leave it."

Liar. She was a pretty good actor though, and Leo had to give her credit for it. He returned his gaze to the region ahead. Just then, Leo noticed storm clouds gathering on the horizon. He made a mental note to fly carefully. Leo realized just then that the clouds were rolling in fast.

_Way_ too fast.

"We gotta drop altitude!" Sarah shouted, "This is looking like it might start raining."

"The rain's not the problem..." Gloria was staring up at the darkening sky. Leo followed her gaze and gasped in shock. He saw the form of a large, bird-like shape hidden in the gathering clouds. As the clouds thickened, the shape suddenly drew back its wings and dove down, screeching. Leo barely had the time to realize that it was going to hit him before the great bird slammed into him and Chikosu. Chikosu took the brunt of the hit, but Leo still had to cling onto the dragon's neck to avoid falling off. He shook his head, straining to see through the increasingly powerful winds. What he _did_ see surprised him. It was a large, green bird with a blue pattern on its breast and along its flight-feathers. Its long, violet tail was lashing in the sky, whipping up a froth of clouds and wind behind it. The Pokémon's proud stance and cloud-tufted head seemed to mark it as a Pokémon comfortable in a storm. He'd never seen a Pokémon like this before. He had no time to puzzle out the Pokémon's identity. The angry bird's eyes flashed black, and it shot a violet-eyed beam at Chikosu. Chikosu took another direct hit, buzzing angrily and lashing his tail at the enemy.

"It's Tornadus!" Shawn shouted, "This is bad!"

Bad was an understatement! At this rate, they'd be shot right out of the sky! Leo grabbed tighter onto Chikosu, "We gotta get away from it! If we fight from here, we're dead!"

"Scatter!" Sarah ordered, "If we split and drop down, it can't target all of us!"

Leo nodded and leaned forward on Chikosu, "Go!" The dragon folded his wings and plummeted down. Leo scrunched his eyes shut, clinging to him desperately in the intense wind. Leo couldn't tell where he was anymore. Chikosu suddenly swooped level, chattering in a panic. When Leo opened his eyes, he cringed in shock.

Tornadus was flying straight below him, glaring in defiance.

"Dammit." Leo shook his head angrily. Tornadus was clearly bent on blocking his escape. A quick glance told him that he was the only one trapped. Everyone else was nowhere to be seen. Leo realized there was no choice. His only escape was through this angry Pokémon. He steeled his nerves and glared back at Tornadus. That bird was going to regret getting in _his_ way. He thought quickly. Tornadus was clearly a bird. Most birds were Flying-types. That meant ice, rock, and electricity were his best bets. He had no delusions about winning. Tornadus was much too powerful a Pokémon to defeat alone. He wanted to deal enough damage to create a diversion.

"Chikosu! Try using your Sandstorm attack!" The Pokémon snorted, shook his head, and chattered at him. Instead of listening to him, the dragon charged at Tornadus, screeching! "Stop! Listen to me!" The insubordinate Pokémon whirled and slapped Tornadus in the face with his tail. This caused the bird to shriek angrily. It charged again, claws spread wide. Leo ducked, but Tornadus slammed directly into him feet-first, snatching him in its mighty talons. Leo screamed in terror as the bird's grip tightened around his torso and it swept him off of Chikosu's back. He scrabbled desperately in mid-air, catching only a glimpse of Chikosu before he saw the land beneath him. There was a thin stand of trees below, and a vast field of grass just past that; all much too far below him for his liking! He thrashed instinctively, trying to break free from Tornadus. Leo felt a huge jolt from above, as though something slammed into Tornadus and him. This made Tornadus release him.

Leo's panic intensified as he realized what happened. Leo screamed again as he fell, tumbling round and round in the sky. He was briefly aware of something green flying past. Was that Chikosu!? Before he could even react, Leo felt a sharp pain in his back as something hit hard from below. His vision swam in a crazy swirl of green and brown as he toppled this way and that, knocking into several more objects painfully. He covered his face as scratches and blows pummeled his body from all angles.

He and finally came to a stop, draped over something long and thick. Leo hung there limp for several long moments, breathing hard and cringing in pain. When Leo regained his nerves, he opened his eyes and looked about weakly. He was several feet up off the ground, caught up in the branches of a large tree. Leo quickly tried to assess his situation. Unfortunately, the moment he lifted his head to look about, the branches cracked, giving way and dumping Leo painfully onto the ground below. Leo could only groan feebly before blacking out, overwhelmed by pain.

* * *

Leo slowly opened his eyes, rain streaming down his face. The light had darkened, and he was lying face-down in the dirt. He grunted and pulled himself to a sitting position. His whole body ached, and he felt as though he'd been stomped on by a Rapidash.

_Where am I?_

_When did it start raining?_

_The others!_

Leo glanced about, searching for any sign of his friends. That was when he realized that he was completely alone. Even Flare was missing. He sighed and scooted up against the back of a tree. It occurred to him that being here might be a bad idea in a thunderstorm, but Leo was sore and stiff from his earlier fall. Drawing up his legs, Leo stared up at the sky.

_What the hell just happened?_

_Has anyone else made it?_

_Am...I really alone?!_

* * *

AJ leaned back against the door, desperately trying to recollect his thoughts. First, Haunter kidnapped him and AJ in their sleep. Now, _this_! That Spiritomb was blocking the way out. Sure, he could try running past it. There was that barrier there after all. Who knew how long that barrier would hold though? And the doors leading out were stuck too...

Whose bright idea was it to put a damn hotel on top of a place like this anyway?!

"What do we do now?!" Eeveen shouted, "That Spiritomb's in the way..."

"I guess we don't have any choice. We gotta check this place out," Cheren said, "AJ, can we have another Flash? I think it wore off. I can't see a thing..."

Come to think of it, this place _was_ pretty dark. The dim light gave away few details about the room. AJ looked down at Thorn, who was huddled up against his leg. The poor turtle was looking up at him, as if asking for guidance. AJ knelt down, stroking his partner, "It's going to be okay. We're safe for now. Pull it together, okay?"

"Gro..." Thorn stared at him worriedly for a moment, then nodded.

"C'mon. Let's get some light in here, boy." Thorn seemed reluctant, but his shell lit up once again. The light revealed another long hallway. At the end of the corridor, there was what appeared to be a large office suite of some sort. A long desk dominated the center of the room, covered in papers and bizarre machines.

Wait, weird machines?!

AJ sighed, biting his lip. It figured that Silicon might have something to do with this. As he made his way down the hall, Thorn's light slowly illuminated the room. There was a man with short silver hair wearing a blue uniform sitting at the desk. When he saw them approach, the stranger looked up at them.

"Visitors?" The violet-eyed man stood to his feet, casting a cautious look at the party, "This is a first."

"We're hardly visitors..." Grumbled Eeveen, "We're stuck down here!"

"Stuck?" The man paused then shook his head, "Oh. It must've been Phantom's fault. She's such a troublemaker..."

"Phantom?" AJ guessed that must be the Spiritomb.

"Yes. She's really a facinating Pokémon. She's my research partner."

"What the hell kind of place _is_ this?" AJ snapped, showing more anger than he'd meant, "Are you the one who's trapped us here?!"

"I'm sorry," The man shook his head again, "I really should explain myself. You can call me Doctor Evan. The owner of this hotel agreed to let me use this substructure for my research so long as I keep the guests out of it. I see the padlock clearly wasn't enough." He smiled slightly. "Oh well. It can't be helped now can it?"

"_Doctor_, hm?" Cheren eyed the man suspiciously.

"That's right, Cheren." Evan nodded, "I've heard all about your work against that Silicon Movement. Pretty intense stuff for someone so young."

AJ blinked in surprise. "How did you...?"

Evan shrugged. "Maybe I should just spit it out. You three look so terribly confused." He took a deep breath and continued. "I am the Silicon Movement's former chief: Solstice's elder brother."


	26. Divided Ideals

Leo looked up, groaning in dismay. He was completely soaked, and the weather wasn't letting up at all. Even the shelter of the tree gave little cover from the downpour drenching him. Then again, it _was_ a thin little excuse of a tree. Leo sighed at the sky.

_I wonder if everyone's alright?_

Leo pulled out his Xtransceiver. The cracked screen and odd buzzing when he turned it on confirmed his suspicions that it broke when he fell. He stood up slowly, grunting as he unfolded himself. One thing was for sure, this rain would've driven the others down to the ground. He sighed, staring up at the sky again. There was no sign of any of the others, and he suspected that they would be looking for him. Still, the cold rain was soaking him to the bone. He shivered a bit, drawing his arms around himself. One thing was certain: if he stayed here, he'd surely catch a cold. He needed to find some kind of shelter: something more effective than these spindly trees could provide.

But...if they were still looking for him, here was the best spot to be.

He shivered, glaring back at the tree. This chilly deluge was starting to give him a headache. Screw this place. He could come back here later. For now, the weather was his main concern. Flare's a fire-type, and she...

Flare...

He dearly wished that lovable Growlithe was here. He wasn't sure why, but that pup always managed to make him feel better. Maybe it was her stalwart loyalty. Maybe it was her nonstop, cheerful energy. Whatever the reason, she was the only thing that felt constant through his memory issues. Flare, _and_ Amber. He was particularly worried about Amber. He was pretty sure the poor girl would be crying in her hands and freaking out right now. Leo wished he could at least call her and tell her he was alright.

Turning away from the tree, Leo set out in search of protection from the rain. As he trudged through the rain, a distant, buzzing cry caught his attention. He looked about. It sounded a lot like a Flygon. Could it be Chikosu? He scanned the fields, searching for the dragon. It took several minutes and the rain was not letting up, but he finally found the Pokémon, partly huddled in some shrubs. The dragon looked up at him, buzzed happily, then rushed forward and hugged him with his little forearms.

Leo was surprised by the dragon's affections. The dragon kept chattering and buzzing away, almost as if he were trying to tell him something. He noticed that Chikosu's right wing was bent at a rather odd angle, and the clearly injured Pokémon was holding it gingerly. He realized that Chikosu's wing was broken. Leo checked his supplies, finding only three Potions. He knew this was more than a mere couple of Potions could fix. Chikosu needed to see a doctor. It wasn't going to be possible right now though.

They both just needed to get out of this damn rain.

* * *

AJ's jaw dropped and his eyes went wide. What the man in front of him just said shocked him. A member of the Silicon Movement, and he was here under the hotel all along! Why didn't anyone notice this earlier?! AJ reached for his Xtransceiver, intending to call for backup. He noticed that Eeveen was already ahead of him, but the message on-screen said "No Service".

"It's not working?" Eeveen seemed baffled, holding up his phone. "AJ, I think it's broken..."

Evan cleared his throat, "Don't bother. Phantom's energy interferes with all electronic signals. It's a bit of a bother, but don't worry."

"Don't worry!? You're a Silicon goon!" Melody's anger was evident, and she glared at the man, "How dare you do this to us!? I'm gonna kick your ass all up and down this place!"

Evan's expression remained cool. "Now, I know you three must be very suspicious of me-"

"Suspicious hardly begins to cut it! Do you have any idea the hell we've been through?!"

"Melody, cool it. Blowing your top isn't going to make him talk." AJ tried to calm Melody down, but she only seemed to get angrier.

"Shut up, AJ! You can talk about blowing your top once _your_ family's been attacked!"

"May I speak? There's a lot I must say to you." Evan calmly looked to the three trainers, continuing after a moment, "First of all, I am the _former_ chief of the Silicon Movement. Secondly, I believe you will need my help if you want to get through to Alicia."

"Who the hell's Alicia?" Melody's glare never softened.

"You might better know her as Solstice. She is my younger sister. Now, you are part of the police force called Team Night, yes?"

AJ nodded, "Yes, Eeveen and I are. Melody's a civilian. We really need to get out of this place and solve a haunting."

"I know. You have been 'visited' by a Haunter that demanded you to put his body to rest."

AJ's eyes went wide and he stared at Evan. "That's right, but how'd you know that?"

Evan smiled slightly. "I know _much_ more than that. I am a psychic. Reading human minds comes naturally to me."

Eeveen's eyes narrowed. "Who said you could do that!? Not cool!"

"Forgive me. I cannot control that particular talent. You needed to contact your boss, Sarah, am I right?" Evan opened a drawer on his desk and pulled out an odd-looking Xtransceiver. "Feel free to use mine. It is insulated against interference. You should be able to contact your allies easily."

AJ took the phone from him, "So, why are you helping us?"

Evan's face dropped. "I must stop my sister. Her plans will cause a war if she succeeds."

"A war?" Eeveen tilted his head at Evan, "We know she wants to turn people and Pokémon into robots. What else is she planning?"

"I think it would be most efficient to tell your boss at the same time as I tell you. Please, don't delay. You must be worried about your friends, and I'm sure they worry for you too."

AJ begun dialing the phone, warily glancing back at Evan. If he had an ulterior motive, AJ had no clue what it could be. Then again, he _was_ a psychic. Arceus only knows what a man like that was thinking...

Sarah's face appeared on the screen, "Hello, who is-?" Her face showed confusion, then relief. "AJ? What's going on? You called from a weird number..."

"Yeah, it's me."

"We got a big problem!" Eeveen poked his head over AJ's shoulder, "We just found this psychic guy who claims he's the boss of the Silicon Movement!"

"_Former_ chief," Evan replied, taking the phone from AJ, "You are the leader of Team Night and I must speak to you."

Sarah fell quiet for a moment. Then, she shouted, "AJ, what did you say to him!?"

"Do not blame him. I am a psychic. My mind-reading picked it up from AJ and Eeveen's minds. It is the one talent I cannot control."

AJ grabbed the phone back, "What'd you have to be so blunt for?! Now I look bad, you idiot!"

"May I speak? I still have things to explain..."

"Yes you do!" AJ glared at Evan, "You better stop these games and start making sense! I'm really sick of getting tricked!"

Evan sighed dejectedly, staring at the floor. "I'm sure you are. Alicia has done some awful things to you all, and I apologize on her behalf."

"Sorry isn't going to help us." Eeveen crossed his arms, "Just get to the point. I'm tired and I'm losing my patience!"

"Please don't be angry. I'm getting there." Evan sighed, "It started five years ago. She wasn't always so difficult. She was once a rather ordinary trainer, just like so many others. I too was a trainer. We traveled all over Unova together. I wanted to become one of the Elite Four. She wanted to become a Gym Leader. Both of our goals meant constantly becoming stronger. Together, we were a formidable force, and we earned five badges as a team. Shortly after we got our Quake Badges, we had a horrible accident. A big landslide hit when we were inside Twist Mountain and it blocked off the exit. We weren't hurt, but we couldn't leave. We weren't worried about supplies; we were well prepared. Even so, we knew we couldn't last more than a few days, especially in winter. By the third day, we were all exhausted. My Pokémon were in bad shape. Alicia wasn't doing much better. Her only Pokémon left standing was her Kadabra, Kali. Even Kali was pretty hurt though, and we had no supplies left to heal her. We heard that the rescue team was almost completely through the landslide, so we were headed back to the entrance. That was when three Cryogonal swarmed us. Kali barely managed to beat up one of them, but the other two were focused on me and Alicia. Kali bravely fought to save us. It was an intense battle. In the end, she won, but it wasn't a pretty victory. Kali was severely injured. She desperately needed medical attention. We weren't unscathed either. Both Alicia and I had frostbite injuries. Alicia caught the worst of it, and damaged the left side of her face badly. I just wound up with some frostbite on my right arm. Kali was very weak, but she still tried to Teleport us away to safety. It didn't work, and Kali...she died of exhaustion that day."

"Why are you telling us that?" Melody said, "That's pretty tough, but what does that have to do with anything?"

"After Kali's death, Alicia...changed," Evan hung his head. "She spent three months in the hospital recovering from her facial wound. I visited her every day. I wanted nothing more than to support my sister. She wasn't the same person. Anyone could tell she was in a lot of physical pain, but I could feel her mental anguish too. She was just so hurt after losing her favorite Pokémon. After she was healthy enough to leave, we made a promise together. We wanted to create a world where people wouldn't get hurt like this. That was the beginning of what became the Silicon Movement. Back then, we called it Project Zero, as in zero suffering. As the months passed and our ranks grew with like-minded trainers, I could feel her thoughts get progressively self-loathing and dark. She started to blame her pain on being attached to Kali. Our goals were one, but I started to feel her doubts. She was growing dissatisfied with human existence. We were growing distant, in spite of my efforts to the contrary. She announced her split quite suddenly. She declared that all emotions were the root of suffering and pain and vowed to eliminate the capacity to feel emotions. I disagreed from the start. I believe peace is the key to end negative emotions. She left me six months later, taking most of Project Zero's members with her. I have continued my research into keeping eternal peace on my own. I had no idea how far Alicia would take her own ambitions until I saw her again two years ago. She had begun experiments to further her ends, starting with herself. She fused a mask to her face, trying to symbolize the end of her humanity. She even stopped going by her true name, taking on the moniker you know her by: Solstice. As soon as I realized what she was up to, I tried to stop her. I've spent my resources since then trying to reverse the modifications she has done to her subjects. We fought several times, but each time, she would defeat me and warn me to stay away from her."

Evan looked back up, meeting AJ's eyes. "I'm sorry if it seems abrupt, but I lack the manpower to stop my sister. I desperately need aid. If your memories are accurate, and I know they are, Team Night is home to some rather impressive trainers. Will you help Project Zero? Will you help _me_?"


End file.
